Defiance
by Lilteeky007
Summary: May and Leaf are best friends who attend Black Thorn Academy, a school created to train students for war. But when their school is attacked, and they're thrown into the war early, they're forced to go on a journey with their Pokemon and some unexpected classmates. Will this unlikely group of heroes survive long enough to save the world? Mainly CS and ORS and hints at other ships.
1. Chapter 1

May let out a small sigh as she sat relaxed under a tree as a gentle breeze caressed her face. A few strands of her chestnut colored hair tickled her nose as she rested with her arms tucked behind her head. She heard light footsteps make their way toward her and she reluctantly opened her eyes.

"Watcha doin'?" a light voice, that she instantly recognized, asked.

May looked up to see her best friend Leaf Green standing in front of her with a smirk on her face. May frowned at her friends interruption. "Well I WAS sleeping." She replied with a yawn.

"Well I can see that!" Leaf retorted with her hands on her hips.

"Then why did you ask?" May smiled as she once again closed her eyes.

"Because you ditched class again. That lazy attitude of yours is going to get you in detention… again." As soon as she noticed that May had no intention of getting up, Leaf sighed as she sat down next to her.

"You know you have to go to the ceremony." Leaf finally said after a moment of silence, as her brown hair danced in the wind.

May let out a small groan. "Is that today?"

"You could be a little more excited. We're going to be seniors! That means there's only a year until we can go out and join the Defiance!" Leaf said in a giddy voice.

That didn't exactly appeal to May, but she wasn't going to tell her friend that. Leaf wanted to support the cause more than anything, May on the other hand couldn't care less about the stupid war.

Somewhere around a decade ago, a group who called themselves the Opposition took control of the Kanto, Johto, and Sinnoh regions. They were a nasty group that wanted nothing more than to control everything and everyone. It was rumored they had their own brainwashing academies where they brainwashed people into joining their group. Though the Hoenn region, where May was from, had yet to be invaded, it was only a matter of time before the Oppression made their way there. For that reason the Defiance was created, in order to protect the remaining regions from the evils of the Oppression. They also created special academies where they trained kids from ages 14 to 18 to be skilled in Pokémon battles to join the Defiance when they graduate.

The academy May attended, Black Thorn Academy, was the first school created for the training of future Defiance recruits and they only accepted the best of the best. Though sometimes May wondered how half the kids there even got in, due to a lack of backbone as Leaf liked to call it.

May finally stood up from her position under the tree as she looked down at her friend.

"Well, let's get this over with," she sighed as she offered her hand to Leaf.

Leaf gratefully took her friends hand as she too stood up and dusted off her uniform which consisted of a black skirt that ended just above her knees, a grey and black vest with a white polo shirt underneath and a blue tie around her neck that signified she was a junior, soon to be senior. May eyed her friend's uniform and looked down at her own. She straightened her own blue tie so as to avoid being scolded by the naggy professors. She stared hard at the school's crest that was so delicately stitched on her vest and once again loosened her tie, if only to show a small amount of rebellion. With that they started walking to the school's auditorium.

May hated her school and everything involving the war, mostly because she was forced by her parents to attend the academy and soon after, join the war. Since she was born and raised in Hoenn, she didn't know why she should go out to a different region and fight someone else's war. Leaf on the other hand lost her parents when Kanto was taken over, she managed to escape the region and joined the academy as soon as she was old enough. She wanted nothing more than to join the war efforts in an attempt to avenge her parent's deaths. May of course sympathized with her friend, but still lacked her own determination. If not for her amazing talents as a trainer, May probably would have been kicked out of the academy a long time ago for her lack of participation in basically every class.

When they finally made it to the entrance of the auditorium May saw a certain grass head standing to the side talking with his spiky haired friend Gary Oak. As soon as said grass head saw her, a smirk made its way onto his face.

"Well look who decided to show up. The sleepy Snorlax decides to grace us with her presence." He mocked with a flip of his oddly colored hair.

"Drew," May huffed. "I see you stepped away from the mirror long enough to make it here yourself."

Drew's smirk grew, "When you have a face as good as mine it's hard not to admire it."

"I seem to manage," May replied.

Leaf looked back and forth between the two and she could almost feel the animosity between them. May and Drew had been rivals since their first day at the academy when Drew beat May in a practice battle during battle class. It was their rivalry that kept them motivated and made them the top two students in their class, and possibly in the school.

"Sometimes I feel like the day isn't complete without those two at each other's throat." Gary said as he watched the scene before him with Leaf.

"I wish they'd just admit they're in love with each other already," Leaf sighed.

"So when are you going to admit you're in love with me?" Gary asked as he leaned into her.

Leaf wrinkled her nose at his comment as she muttered an "As if." She turned her attention back to her best friend as she and Drew were now completely lost in their bickering.

"Why can't you just admit you think I'm attractive?" Drew asked.

"Because you're just about as attractive as a Muk!" May retorted.

Leaf rolled her eyes as she felt a presence behind her and turned around to find her Pokémon Care professor had made his way onto the scene.

"As much fun as it is to listen to you argue, we'd like to get this ceremony started. So if you'd please make your way inside, that would be very helpful." Professor Brock said as he pulled the two away from each other and shoved the group inside the building.

As soon as they were seated, Brock nodded his head to the stage in the front as an indication to start. With that, the head master stood up and made his way to the podium. He was tall and well built with spiked red hair on top of his head. He was rather young to be a head master and could have been no more than 25. Despite his high authority in the school he wasn't one for formalities and he required every student to simply call him Lance.

"Students, today marks the day that you are no longer blue tied Junior's. Instead you are now the ones that the juniors look up to. You're the ones who in the next year will prepare yourselves to go out and fight for friends, fight for this school, and fight for your freedom. I hope that as seniors you will continue to grow with your Pokemon and become the best you can be." Lance finished his speech and the crowd of students let out a series of cheers and whoops.

With that they called out each students names to have them walk up and accept their red ties that indicated they were now seniors. After accepting her tie and returning to her seat, May stared down at the red tie and thought about what Lance had said.

_"Fight for freedom huh…" _She thought to herself. _"What freedom?" _She clenched her new tied in her fist as she glared at it.

* * *

><p>The next day started the beginning of their senior classes and May let out a sigh as she tied her red tie around her neck. Leaf on the other hand sported a huge grin as she tied her own tie and gave it a once over in the mirror.<p>

"How do I look?" She asked from across the room.

May looked over at her roommate and laughed. "Gee I think the new color just makes the outfit look like a whole new uniform!" She said sarcastically as she tied her red bandana on her head.

"Well at least your tie will finally match your bandana. The green tie sophomore year really clashed." Leaf mocked. May felt a smile creep onto her face. Leaf always had a way of making her smile. It was no wonder they were roommates and best friends.

Despite her bad mood, May was actually excited for her first class of the day, which was battle class. It was the only class that she never missed because if there was one thing May loved more than sleeping, it was battling.

Every student had their own partner Pokémon which they received as an egg when they were children. This Pokémon is the only Pokémon they would ever have and the Pokémon that hatches from the egg will determine their future careers and lifestyles. However, some choose to try out for the war efforts instead. If their Pokémon is strong enough and they're good at battling, then they were accepted into an academy where they are trained to fight.

May's partner was her Blaziken. It was never their goal to join in the war, but her parents left her with no choice and so with Blaziken's help, she was easily accepted. She loved nothing more than battling with Blaziken by her side and if she had it her way she would take that class all day.

This year however, luck wasn't on her side as not only was Leaf not in her class, but she noticed a certain grass head was. As soon as she walked onto the battle field with Blaziken she noticed him petting his Flygon with a rare smile that he never seemed to show anyone except for his Pokemon. She chose to ignore him as she saw a familiar face.

"Hey Ash!" She called out to her friend.

"No way, you're in my class this year May?" He exclaimed as she ran over to him.

"It looks like it," she smiled as she looked up at the Pikachu hanging onto Ash's dark messy haired head. "I see you still haven't evolved Pikachu."

"Heck no, Pikachu's fine just the way he is."

"That's something a loser would say." Gary stated as he walked up to them with his Arcanine behind him.

"What did you say?" Ash asked in instant anger.

Ash and Gary were both from the same home town and were in a strange way friends, but also rivals, though Ash usually always lost.

"Just stating a fact Ashyboy." Gary said using his old nickname for Ash.

"I'll show you who the loser is," Ash threatened only to be interrupted by the professor making his way toward the group with his Luxray following close behind.

"Good morning class," he said with a smile as he looked the class over as if to size them up. Professor Volkner was well known in the academy as being the toughest professor who taught only the seniors. May had been excited to finally have a change due to the fact that she had the same battle professor for three years, it was time for someone different.

"He doesn't seem scary at all," Ash commented next to her. As soon as the words left his mouth a surge of electricity hit the ground in front of his feet making him jump back in surprise and fall to the floor.

"Did I say you could talk?" Volkner asked with a glare on his face as his Luxray emitted sparks left over from his attack on Ash. They instantly froze at the terrifying man before them. May couldn't help but wonder how the seemingly nice man from a minute ago had turned into the scary professor who was now glaring in her direction.

"Maple, step forward." He demanded. May quickly scrambled forward.

He stared down at her with his harsh gaze. "I've heard a lot about you. You should stop hanging around riff raff like that, his stupidity might rub off on you." Volkner stated as he point toward Ash who was still on the ground.

Gary snickered as May looked back at her friend as Pikachu attempted to help him up. "With all due respect sir, Ash is a very competent trainer, and who I hang around shouldn't really concern you." She replied with a steady gaze as he stared her down.

The class was silent as they watched the stare down.

"So you trust his abilities as a trainer?" Volkner asked as he crossed his arms over his broad chest. May nodded her head without missing a beat. "Then let's see it." He turned his head to look back at Drew. "Hayden, front and center."

Drew jumped at the sound of his name, but stepped forward with a "Yes sir."

"Let's have a battle, Drew and Oak will go against Maple and Ketchum." May's jaw almost dropped at that. With Flygon being a ground type, Blaziken and Pikachu were at a serious disadvantage. She looked at Drew to find a smirk planted on his face.

"We haven't had a battle in a while Bandana." He said as her eyebrow twitched from the nickname.

"Then this should be interesting Grass head." She replied and his smirk fell as he turned and walked away to take his place by Gary on the battle field.

Ash slowly made his way over to May with a frown. "Sorry I got you into this." He said with his head bowed.

"No worries, it was my fault. Besides, we've got this." She assured him.

Ash didn't seem to have the same confidence as May, but he reluctantly made his way to stand next to her on the field. Their Pokémon all took their places on the field as they waited to start. May started the battle off with a flamethrower aimed at Flygon who easily avoided the attack.

"You should know better than to attack like that May. Flygon, use earthquake!" Drew called out.

Thinking quickly May responded, "Blaziken grab Pikachu!"

Just as Flygon slammed into the ground causing the field to break apart, Blaziken grabbed Pikachu and managed to jump from rock to rock and avoid the attack. Unfortunately Arcanine sent out a flamethrower that caught Blaziken off guard and sent him flying.

"Blaziken!" May cried out as her Pokémon hit the ground hard.

"Pikachu, use thunder bolt!" Ash called out in an attempt to back the opposing Pokémon away. Pikachu's attack forced the opposing Pokémon to back away as Blaziken stood back up. May glanced over at Pikachu. His electric attacks wouldn't have any effect against Flygon so she knew that she had to take care of him.

"Ash, focus your attacks on Arcanine." She informed him and he replied with a quick nod.

"Blaziken, use another flamethrower on Flygon!" She ordered and Blaziken quickly followed her command. Flygon once again dodged the attack. Meanwhile Arcanine sent a flamethrower toward Pikachu.

"Dodge it with quick attack!" Ash yelled. May looked over to see Pikachu dodge the attack with ease and slam himself into Arcanine, but because of how small he is, Pikachu's attack didn't do much damage.

"Aracanine use bite!" Gary called out and the canine Pokémon clamped his jaws around Pikachu causing him to cry out in pain.

"Blaziken!" May yelled out. Blaziken started to move toward the struggling Pikachu, but was cut off by Flygon.

"Ash, do something!" May scolded as Ash seemed frozen.

Ash seemed to collect himself as he finally made a move. 'Pikachu, use thunder wave!"

Pikachu sent out a wave of electricity that instantly paralyzed Arcanone on the spot and allowed the small rodent to break free.

While Drew seemed distracted by his partner's Pokémon, he failed to remember his own and Blaziken hit it with a sky upper cut. Drew realized he needed to counter attack and had Flygon use a dragon tail that caught Pikachu off guard and sent him flying. Blaziken jumped up to grab Pikachu before he hit the ground and suffered any more damage.

"Blaziken use blaze kick!" May ordered as Blaziken set down the dazed Pikachu. Blaziken quickly jumped up and sent a flurry of fiery kicks at Flygon who barely managed to dodge.

"Flamethrower!" Both trainers called out and the attacks hit each other causing a large explosion in the middle of the field. Neither Pokémon looked like they were going to back down.

May realized the only way to get Flygon was if she could some how get above him. With that thought she had Blaziken use another sky upper cut. The attack missed, but it put Blaziken right above Flygon.

"Now use blaze kick!" May ordered. Drew realized it too late and his eyes widened, however, just as Blaziken was about to execute the attack, he was hit by a flamethrower. This time Blaziken slammed into the still recovering Pikachu and knocked him out. Blaziken started to stand back up, but was hit by a combined hyper beam from Arcanine and Flygon, sending him back to the ground knocked out.

May stared in disbelief at her now fainted Pokémon. The class let out a cheer at the intense battle and went to congratulate Drew and Gary.

"I'm sorry," Ash said to May as he picked up Pikachu.

May ran Blaziken, who was slowly standing back up, and turned to Ash. "What for? That was a good battle." She replied with a smile. Even though she lost, May still enjoyed herself. Nothing beat a good heated battle.

May took out her Pokémon aid kit and went to work taking care of Blaziken's wounds while Ash did the same for Pikachu. After she felt he was patched up nice, she sent him back to the Pokémon housing area to rest.

"I want you all to take notice, because that is how a battle should be." Volkner said with a smile as he gripped May and Drew's shoulders causing both teens to flinch from his strong grip.

"I want an eight hundred word paper about it due tomorrow!" He finished cheerfully causing the class to groan. With that the class was dismissed and May made her way to her next class.

May's next class was also one that she enjoyed, and that was combat training. It was not only important that their Pokémon were strong, but the students also needed to know how to defend themselves. Luckily for May, Leaf was in this class with her, but much to her dismay, so was Drew. Their professor was Lt. Surge who was the same professor she has last year. He was a very well built man, and May questioned whether or not he was on steroids based on the size of his massive arms.

"Alright you all know the drill. I'm going to pair you up with someone who I feel will help you learn and improve, and that will be your partner for the rest of the year." Surge said as he looked over a piece of paper in his hand. "Leaf and Misty," He read off. May felt a pang of disappointment as Leaf waved to her as she walked over to Misty. "Dawn and Iris," May was now pleading that she didn't get stuck with a certain someone. "Since we have an odd number of girls, May will be partnered with Drew." May's heart sank as she eyed her "partner." Drew gave her an innocent look as he played with the weapon in his hands. Drew was very efficient with a sword and May swallowed a lump in her throat. While she could manage well enough in hand to hand combat, she was better with a bow. Her hope was that she would be partnered with someone less advanced.

"Um professor, I think you made a mistake, I'm usually partnered with someone who works with distance weapons." May said to Surge. He looked down at her petite form and grinned. "There's no mistake, you need to be efficient in all types of fighting and I feel that Drew will be very helpful to you."

May reluctantly made her way back over to Drew who was waiting patiently by the wall of weapons. "Here," he said as he handed her two small daggers. "I think it would be too much for you to try using a sword, so its best to start off with a simple weapon.

"I know how to use other weapons besides a bow!" May seethed as she snatched them from his hand.

"Well excuse me." Drew muttered under his breath. Of course Drew knew May had no experience with other weapons, but he figured he'd let her embarrass herself if she wanted.

"Ready?" He asked as they positioned themselves. May's only response was getting into a battle stance. Drew smirked and that's all it took to set May off, and with that she charged him with a flurry of attacks. Drew easily either dodged them or blocked them with his sword. It bothered her that while May was trying her best, Drew just seemed to be playing with her.

While they were evenly matched in Pokémon battling, Drew always seemed to be ahead of her in everything else. This of courses irritated May to no end, and she was so lost in her frustration she completely missed a swing giving Drew the chance he needed to swing his sword and knock the dagger out of her right hand. With that he swung his sword under her feet completely knocking her onto the floor. May looked up with a glare to find the tip of a sword pointed directly at her face.

"Lesson number one: It's important to keep a cool head," he said as he flicked his hair. May huffed as she stood herself up.

"We'll see how cool your head is when I put an arrow through it!" She threatened. It was one thing to lose to Drew once, but twice in the same day was too much.

"Bring it on Bandana!" He replied.

Before the two could attack each other for real, Surge decided to end the class. Both teens glared at each other before stomping away.

The rest of the day seemed very uneventful for May as she went from class to class. To her, senior year seemed pretty pointless. All of her classes were slightly more advanced repeats of classes she had already taken. Most of it was pointless information she already knew. By the end of the day she was practically jumping out of her seat in anticipation for it to be over. As soon as the class ended she jumped from her seat and headed for the door only to be stopped by her professor who informed her that the head master wanted to see her.

May bit her lip as she wondered what the man could possibly want from her, it wasn't like she'd done anything bad... recently. Of course even if she had, she'd never been called to Lance. Usually she'd just get a short lecture from someone like Professor Brock. She stood outside the door to Lance's office as she thought about running in the opposite direction. Before she could make her final decision the door opened.

"Are you going to stand outside my door all day?" Lance questioned as he looked down at the brunette. She quickly made her way into the room as he shut the door and returned to his desk.

"Am I in trouble?" She asked cautiously as she lingered by the door.

Lance eyed her nervous form in amusement as he folded his hands in front of his face while leaning on his elbows.

"Fortunately for you, this time, no you're not in trouble." He finally said and noticed her instantly relax.

She made her way from the door to the chair in front of his desk and plopped herself down.

"So why am I here?" She asked.

Lance's eyebrows shot up. "Don't tell me you forgot that every senior is required to have a meeting with me discussing plans for when you graduate?"

May gave him a blank expression indicating she had never even heard about it.

"Honestly, do you pay attention in any of your classes?" Lance sighed. He had heard about her ditching class a lot, but he had no idea she cared so little about them. He half wondered how she managed to pass.

"Of course, I got an A in battle tactics." She stated proudly.

Lance rubbed his temples in frustration. The girl may be talented in fighting, but she was certainly going to be a headache for whoever gets her when she graduates. IF she graduates anyway.

"But the thing is, I don't really care where I go after graduation." She said in a low voice.

Lance looked up to see a sullen look on the girl's face. A realization hit him. All this time he'd thought she goofed around and wanted out of the school because she was eager to be in the war. It appeared to him now that it was quite the opposite.

"Is that so? So you have no preferences?" He questioned.

May was silent for a minute as she thought about it, "I guess wherever my friend Leaf goes." She finally said. Lance nodded his head.

"You're a loyal friend," he said as she watched him write something down in the notebook on his desk.

"So is that it?" She asked as she stood up eager to get away from Lance's intense gaze. He simply nodded and she quickly bolted from the room.

Lance watched the small girl race out of his office with one thought. There was more to May Maple than just a rebellious teenager. He could tell she was certainly destined for great things.

* * *

><p><strong>So this idea has been on my mind for a while now and I finally decided to write it up and see how it goes. I'm also planning on refraining from using any OCs in this story. As such that means that I own none of the characters, much to my dismay! ;) Not sure how far I'll take this story, but I'm already pretty far with the second chapter so there's that. <strong>**And now that I'm done talking please feel free to leave review or favorite, if you want to that is.**


	2. Chapter 2

After her meeting with Lance, May was eager to go to the Pokémon housing and visit with Blaziken. When she arrived she found a man was already there feeding her Pokémon pokepuffs. Blaziken noticed her as she walked up and the man turned around to look at her. She instantly recognized him as a professor at the school, though she never had his class.

"I was wondering who this wonderful Pokémon belonged to." He said with a bright smile.

May instantly noticed that up close he didn't really look like a professor, but that might have been because he looked rather young. "That's me," she replied.

"I don't believe I've ever had you as a student. I'm professor Sycamore."

"I'm May."

His smile grew as soon as he heard her name. "May Maple?"

"The one and only," she replied.

"You've done a good job raising your Blaziken." He commented as he gave Blaziken a pat on the head.

"Thanks, but I think he raised me more than I raised him," she said as she pulled an apple out of her bag and handed it to her Pokémon, which he happily accepted.

Sycamore stared with interest as May watched Blaziken eat the apple and hand him another. There was a shine in her sapphire eyes when Blaziken seemed to thank her.

"There's a strong bond between the two of you that is quite special."

May turned her attention to the professor with curiosity. He pulled a chain out of his pocket with a small stone attached.

"I think you should have this. It'll be more useful to you than me." He said as he put the chain in her hand.

May looked at the stone in her hand and wondered what it could possibly be useful for. She looked back up ready to ask, but found the professor was no longer there.

"Where did he go?" She asked as she looked around. Blaziken just shrugged as he munched on another apple.

* * *

><p>May stared at the stone that was now hanging around her neck as she left the Pokémon housing. She sat with Blaziken for a few hours thinking about it, but found nothing special about it. Perhaps professor Sycamore was just crazy. It certainly seemed like a real possibility. She let out a sigh as she tucked it behind her shirt.<p>

As she walked, she thought back to her combat practice with Drew. Lt. Surge had a point when he said she needed practice in hand to hand combat. While it was a little unfair of him to partner her with Drew, she had to admit she didn't just lose because he was more advanced. Her own skills were lacking. She looked up to the sky and found that there was still about an hour left of day light, which was plenty of time to get in a little practice. With her mind made up, she headed toward the training room.

May was a little surprised to find when she arrived that Drew was already there. He didn't notice her walk in and was doing some practicing of his own. She watched him in awe at the way he handled his sword. It was as if it was a part of him, making his movements so smooth and graceful it almost appeared as if he were dancing. Drew finally paused to catch his breath and grabbed a bottle of water. As he was taking a drink he saw a figure in the corner of his eye. He nearly choked on his water when he saw that it was May making her way toward him.

"Wow Drew, I had no idea you were so talented." She commented.

Drew stared at her trying to decide if she was being sarcastic. He thought about replying something witty, but instead settled with a thanks.

The two stood in awkward silence unsure of what to say. Drew went back to drinking his water and noticed May repeatedly glance at him and then quickly look away.

May noticed Drew must have been training for a while as sweat gleamed on his face. To her it somehow made him more attractive. That is if she actually thought he was attractive… which she didn't… did she?

May seemed to be having some inner turmoil and Drew just watched with curiosity. "Is there a reason you came in here?" He finally asked, breaking her out of her annoying thoughts.

"To train. Why else would I be here?" She replied as her brain got back on track.

"And to think I thought it was to just stare at me. I was half expecting you to confess your undying love for me." He said with a smirk.

"In your dreams!" She retorted.

His smirk grew bigger as if he were about to reply, but May stormed away to the wall where the weapons hung.

Drew watched as she selected a pair of daggers and then paused. She turned her gaze to him as he stared at her with an amused expression. No way was she going to practice that with Drew watching. He'd laugh her out of the building. She tucked the daggers in her belt and instead reached for a bow and a quiver full of arrows.

She walked passed Drew who was now leaning on his sword watching her actions with amusement. She stopped when she felt she was a great enough distance from the target and pulled an arrow out of the quiver. She pointed the bow toward the ground as she positioned her arrow and in once swift motion she raised and drew the bow. She let out a breath as she took her aim and released, hitting right in the bulls eye.

May turned around to give Drew a smug look. He had to admit, while she needed work with hand to hand combat, May was flawless with a bow. He was ready to give a compliment when they heard a large explosion and the whole building shook. The lights flashed for a second before cutting off.

"What was that?" May asked as they looked around.

"Whatever it was, it didn't sound good." Drew replied as he gripped his sword tightly and ran toward the exit, making sure to grab his backpack on the way out.

"Wait for me!" May called after him as she followed behind, making sure to grab her own bag on the way.

As she ran outside she couldn't believe what she saw. The school's main building was covered in flames, clearly the source of the explosion. The courtyard was full of people. Figures dressed in red and black uniforms were battling it out with students and professors. Pokémon were fighting on the ground and in the sky and bodies were quickly pilling up.

May was frozen on the spot. She had never seen so many dead bodies, many of which consisted of young freshmen who didn't know how to fight well enough to really defend themselves. Her hands were shaking as her grip on her bow increased. Drew was standing next to her, in his own state of disbelief. However, he was brought back to reality when a man rushed toward them. He charged toward May who was too frozen to react, but Drew did. Just as the man brought his sword down, Drew stopped it with his own. With their swords as an x the two were in a battle of strength. Thinking quickly, Drew pushed with all his might causing the man to stumble back. He then kicked him sending him falling to the ground. Without thinking Drew brought down his sword, ending the fight.

With that he turned to May and shook her shoulders.

"Snap out of it! We don't have time for you to lose it now!" He yelled at her.

May blinked at him before coming to her senses.

"I'm sorry," she said as she eyed the now dead man on the ground. Another man came charging toward them and she readied her bow taking aim at his heart, but she couldn't bring herself to release the arrow. Knowing she had to do something she aimed her arrow up and shot him in the shoulder, sending him falling to the ground in pain.

"We have to move, but we should stick together." Drew said as he cut down another man in uniform.

May was about to agree with him when she spotted smoke to her left, right where the Pokémon housing was located.

"Blaziken!" She yelled as she ran off toward the smoke.

"Dammit May!" Drew yelled as he ran after her.

May's petite form was easily able to maneuver through the crowd and Drew quickly lost sight of her.

_"That idiot is going to get herself killed." _ He thought to himself as he lost her in the chaos.

As May arrived on the scene of the burning building she frantically tried to find her Pokémon, though it didn't take her long. Blaziken, along with a few other fire types, was jumping in and out of the fire in an attempt to save as many Pokémon from the flames as he could. May couldn't help but smile to herself at her Pokémon's selfless actions.

May then heard a scream behind her and found a small freshman girl being cornered by a man in uniform. Without missing a beat she fired an arrow into the guy's back. He fell to the ground in pain, but May figured he'd live. The small girl looked at May with frightened eyes and ran off. May attempted to go after her, but someone grabbed her arm.

"That was a good shot, I think you'll do nicely." The creepy man purred into her ear.

"Let go," she said as she turned around and tried to hit him with her free arm, which he easily grabbed.

"You're coming with me girly." He said as he brought her face close to his.

Before the man could do anymore, a sword pierced through his stomach causing May to let out a surprised scream. The man crumbled to the floor as her savior pulled the sword out.

"What part of stick together did you not understand?" Drew asked with a sigh as he looked her over to make sure she wasn't injured.

"Drew, they're taking people." Was all she could say.

He nodded as he looked around. "It looks like they're killing the students they think are weak, and are taking those that can hold their own."

Blaziken finally noticed May and quickly ran over to her.

"We have to find Leaf," May said as soon as her Pokémon was by her side.

Drew nodded as he put his fingers to his mouth and let out a loud whistle. Within seconds his Flygon flew down to them.

"I need you to find Leaf," he told his Pokémon.

Flygon nodded his head as he took off to the sky. They followed after him as he flew back toward the large battle. Flygon soon found who he was looking for and started flying circles in one spot.

"There!" Drew told May as they ran to where Flygon was circling.

As they broke through the crowd they could see Leaf. Her Ivysaur was next to her smacking away anyone who came too close with his vines, while Leaf did her best with her sword. She kept glancing behind her with worry. May followed her friend's gaze to find a familiar Arcanine defending an unconscious Gary. Upon noticing his injured friend Drew quickened his pace. May watched in horror as a grunt managed to get through Leaf's defenses and slash at her leg causing her to crumble to the ground with a shriek of pain. Just as the man made a step toward Leaf, May shot an arrow that pierced through his neck. As the man fell to the ground May and Drew ran up.

"May! Thank goodness, I was worried they got you." Leaf said as she clutched her now bleeding leg.

"What happened?" May asked as Drew managed to calm down Arcanine and get to his friend.

"I was with Gary looking for you two when a Pokémon attacked me from behind. The idiot jumped in the way." She said as she choked back a sob. "Is he okay?" She asked as Drew walked up with Arcanine who had Gary slung over his back.

"He'll live," Drew said as he looked at the battle. It was obvious that the men in black and red were winning. There were mostly only professors still standing. There were many students, mostly upperclassmen, being carried away.

"May, Drew, Leaf!" They all turned their heads to find Lance running toward them.

"Thank goodness you're all still standing." He said as he looked them over, but frowned when he saw Gary. "You must get out of here."

"We can't just leave-" Drew started, but was cut off when Lance lifted a hand to silence him.

"This school is a lost cause now. You must flee." He told them.

They all looked a little reluctant. He reached into his cloak and pulled something out.

"Take this," he said as he held it out.

"What is it?" May asked as she eyed the instrument.

"This is the Azure Flute." He said as he handed the flute to May. "This is the only thing that can save us now."

"What? How?" Leaf asked as she leaned on Drew's shoulder in support of her injured leg.

"That's not important at the moment. You are all a part of the Defiance now. You must take this flute to Mt. Silver." He told them firmly.

"In the Johto region?" Drew questioned.

Lance nodded his head. "At the top of Mt. Silver you will find Red. You must take the flute to Red."

"Red? Like the color?" May asked skeptically.

"Red will know what to do with it. He's our only hope now." Lance said as two men in uniforms found their group and charged them. Before they could get any closer a Dragonite dropped from the sky and smacked them away with its tail.

"You must go now!" Lance ordered them as he turned to find more men approaching.

They all nodded reluctantly and started toward the forest that surrounded the school. Noticing that Leaf was slowing them down, Blaizken scooped her up in his arms. As they ran May noticed Ash out of the corner of her eye. She slowed down as she watched him fighting it out with three guys, with only Pikachu helping. Just then a man came up behind him and hit him in the back of the head, knocking him out. With that they caged Pikachu and took off with them.

"Ash!" She gasped as she started toward him. Drew quickly grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"There's nothing you can do, he's gone now!" He stated.

"No, we have to help him!" May struggled as she tried to pull her wrist free.

"You're just going to get yourself killed!" He argued.

"What do you care?" She seethed.

Drew glared at her for the remark. Sure he'd pick a fight with her now and then, but he never thought he'd come across as someone who didn't care for her. It was actually quite the opposite. Not wanting to waste any more time he looked to the sky for his Flygon. Flygon flew down next to them and Drew picked May up and threw her on the Pokémon.

"Get her out of here!" He told his Pokémon and with that Flygon flew off with a very upset May.

"Drew!" She yelled at him with anger as Flygon flew her toward the forest. With May no longer holding them back the group made their way to safety in the forest.

* * *

><p>After walking for over an hour the group finally decided to stop and take care of Leaf's leg. Although May ditched a lot of her classes, she did manage to learn a few things about first aid. As Drew scouted the area May took care of the cut on Leaf's leg with the small first aid kit that she kept in her bag.<p>

"It wasn't too deep, so I think you'll be okay." May said as she finished wrapping up the wound.

"Are any of us going to be okay?" Leaf asked as she stared hard at her friend.

"Of course we are," May assured her with the best smile she could muster, though both knew it was fake. She left Leaf leaning against a tree with her Ivysaur as Drew reappeared.

May was still upset at him for leaving Ash, but she chose not to bring it up. He sat down in front of the small fire that Blaziken set up and she joined him.

"What do we do now?" She asked him quietly.

He didn't seem like he was going to respond at first as he stared into the fire. "We do what Lance told us to do." He finally answered.

"How are we going to do that? Look at us." She said as she motioned to Leaf leaning against the tree and Gary laying against Arcanine a few feet away. He followed her gaze and sighed.

"For now we rest. We'll leave first thing in the morning and head to Pedalburg City. "He said as he ran his hand through his messy hair.

They sat in silence for a while as the day's events played through their minds. May couldn't help but wonder how Drew managed to remain calm through the whole thing. She couldn't even bring herself to kill someone, aside from the one who attacked Leaf, while Drew was able to kill so many effortlessly. She had thought that because she was good at Pokémon battles that she was an even rival for him, but the truth was, Drew was leagues ahead of her.

She eyed the weary teen next to her. His clothes were a mess and had a few specks of blood splattered across them, while his face looked tired and worn. She was sure that she probably didn't look any better. But if it wasn't for Drew, May realized that she probably would've died in that mess. She realized she still had her bow tightly gripped in her hand and she set it aside as she allowed herself to calm down.

"Are you okay?" He asked after noticing her shaking hands.

"I'm not so sure myself," she said with a nervous laugh as she stood up.

"I'm going to go rest," she said as she walked over to Leaf and sat down next to her. The two girls rested their heads on each other in a form of comfort as they closed their eyes.

That left Drew with the first watch, but he preferred it that way. He watched the two sleeping girls for a minute before turning back to the fire. Flygon jumped from the tree he was sharing with Blaziken and settled down next to him.

"We're in quite a mess, aren't we?" He said as he patted the Pokémon's head. Flygon let out a small cry of agreement.

After a few hours Gary finally woke up. He was surprised to see the two sleeping girls, but let out a breath when he realized who they were. He was especially relieved to see that Leaf didn't appear to be seriously injured.

He stood up and walked over to Drew while rubbing his very sore head.

"Did I miss anything?" He asked as he sat down.

Drew was startled at first by his friend's appearance, but relaxed when he sat down. He then proceeded to tell the brunette boy about the flute and what Lance sent them off to do.

"So how do we know Petalburg wasn't attacked too?" Gary questioned after Drew informed him of their plan.

"We don't, but we aren't exactly full of supplies right now. Plus, we have no way of getting to Johto." Drew stated sounding frustrated.

"Alright, then we'll head to Johto in the morning, but for now I think you should rest a little." Gary said as he saw just how worn out his friend looked.

"Will you be okay taking watch?"

"I'm fine, who do you think you're talking to?" Gary replied with a smirk.

Drew was too tired to argue and just leaned against his Flygon and shut his eyes. He was rudely awoken in the morning by a loud shrilly voice.

"Do you have any idea how worried I was?" Leaf yelled.

Drew reluctantly opened his eyes to find May trying to hold up a fuming Leaf as she yelled at his friend.

"Why in the world would you jump in front of me like that? You could've died!"

"A normal person would say thank you." He said with a nonchalant shrug.

"You're an idiot Gary Oak! I didn't need you to do that!" She fumed.

Clearly the girl was overreacting, but Drew didn't want to get in the way of her anger. If she was anything like May when she was angry, then she'd be a force to be reckoned with.

"He just didn't want you to get hurt. I think it's kind of sweet." May reasoned with her friend.

Leaf huffed and she limped back to her tree and sat down.

"So how far is it to Petalburg City?" May asked as Drew got up.

"Probably about an hour or so," He answered as he stretched.

The group then made their way toward the city with Leaf riding on Arcanine. After an hour of walking they saw what seemed to be smoke in the distance. They quickened their pace and finally stopped on cliff that looked over the city, and found that it too had been attacked. They all froze in disbelief as fires still filled the streets.

"No way," May whispered as she watched her home town burn to the ground.

"Do you think there's anyone left?" Leaf asked as she looked wearily at her best friend.

"It looks like they're rounding up civilians." Gary commented as he watched some rather intimidating Pokémon round up a large group of scared people.

May was in disbelief. If they had taken Petalburg, did that mean the rest of Hoenn was attacked too? Was anywhere safe? She wondered about her family. Her parents were probably in that crowd of people, not that she really cared, but what about her brother? He had just joined an academy as a freshman. Was that school attacked to? Was her brother brutally cut down, unable to defend himself, just like the freshmen at her school?

Completely consumed by her thoughts, May fell to her knees as tears streamed down her face. The others just stared at her in shock. The fearless May was crying? She had seemed so composed up to that point, but of course she was just a scared kid, just like the rest of them. Leaf crouched down next to her friend and wrapped her arms around her as tears fell down her own face. The two boys watched the crying girls, but didn't move. They weren't quite sure if it was their pride, or just them trying to be strong for the sake of the two crying on the floor, but they stood staring at the city, their faces void of emotion.

* * *

><p><strong>So I've grown quite fond of this story. I'm still not completely sure where it's going to go, but I like it. Thanks to all those that favorited and followed this story, you make me happy. Also thanks to I'll Break Your Heart, don't worry, your review did nothing but make me smile! ;)<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

"We need to move on now," Drew finally said after a while. The two girls wiped away their tears as they stood up.

"What do we do now?" May questioned. The three brunette teens turned to look at Drew. He half wondered when he was nominated leader of the group. He opened his mouth to answer them when they heard a twig snap behind them. They all whipped around and into battle stances. Arcanine let out a low growl as May readied her bow on whatever was about to emerge from the forest.

"Easy now, I don't mean you any harm." An old voice said as an old man made his way out of the forest with his arms up in surrender.

"Who are you? What are you doing out here?" Gary inquired.

"The name's Mr. Briney, and this is my darling Peeko." He said as he gestured to the small Wingull that flew down and landed on his shoulder.

"Peeko here saw you kids wandering the forest and led me to you." The small Wingull let out a tiny chirp.

"That still doesn't tell us why you're out here." Gary said sounding impatient. May rolled her eyes at his comment. Clearly the frail old man wasn't a threat the them. She lowered her bow and Mr. Briney let out a sigh of relief.

He looked around him as if they were in danger. "Come with me and I'll explain everything." He said as he started back toward the forest. The four teens glanced at each other before nodding and following the old man. It wasn't as if they had many options, and he seemed innocent enough.

The group followed Mr. Briney to a small cabin deep in the woods. It was covered well by the plants of the forest, and a person could easily walk passed it if they didn't know it was there.

"I had no idea this was even here," May mused as she stepped inside, followed by her friends. The Pokémon chose to wait outside since they wouldn't all fit.

"That's because I picked the deepest point of the forest to build this cabin." Mr. Briney said as he made his way to a small cabinet and pulled out a first aid kit. "Your friend's bandages look like they should be changed." He said as he handed May the kit and motioned toward Leaf's leg. Her bandage was stained red with blood. Leaf took the kit and sat on the couch to change her bandages. To her relief, it looked like it would heal quickly.

"So why did you build a cabin in the middle of Petalburg Woods?" Drew questioned as he leaned against the wall.

"As a small get away, I come down here this time every year to relax." The old man replied as he stroked his beard.

"So it's pretty convenient that you were out here in hiding when we were attacked." Gary said as he narrowed his eyes as he sat on the floor. May and Leaf both shot him a glare telling him to drop the attitude.

"Actually, I was in the city with my friend when it happened. He and his Pokémon are quite the force, but they couldn't stand up to the power of The Oppression. They took him away and I was barely able to escape. I went to the academy for help, but I found that it had also fallen. It was a miracle to find you kids." Mr. Briney said with his head hung low. The teens all flinched at the memory of their school.

"Do you think there are others from the academy wandering the forest like us?" Leaf asked from her spot on the small sofa she shared with May as she finished changing her bandage.

"Perhaps, but it doesn't matter. We have our mission, we don't have time to wander the forest looking." Drew said, causing Leaf to frown.

"I would think you'd put in a little more consideration for the lives of your classmates. Then again, when have you at all?" May told him with a glare.

Drew narrowed his eyes at May. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well you left Ash to get taken by those monsters, so why would you care about any of the others either?" She said, her voice practically oozing venom.

"You think I wanted to leave him? If you had gone after him they would've just taken you too!" He countered as he pushed himself off the wall.

"You don't know that! I could have saved him!" She yelled as she too stood up.

"Or you could have gotten hurt!"

"I'm not as weak as you think I am!"

"I never said you were weak!" He bit back.

"Not out loud, but you think it!" She seethed.

"Why are you acting like a crazy person?" He exclaimed.

The two were now glaring in each others face.

"Geez, cut it out you two." Gary said cautiously as he stepped in between the two glaring teens. They both let out a huff as they went back to their spots.

"I hope you don't mind me being nosey, but what exactly is it that you have to do?" Mr. Briney questioned.

The boys looked reluctant to answer, but May didn't see any reason to distrust the man.

"We need to get to the Johto region." She told him, causing both boys to glare at her.

"Well you'd need a boat to get there," Briney said as he stroked his beard.

"Now you see our dilemma." Leaf said with a sigh.

"That's not too big of a problem, I happen to have a boat in Slateport City and would be more than happy to give you kids a lift." The old man said with a smile.

"Really? You'd do that?" Leaf exclaimed.

Briney nodded, "Of course, I want to get home to Slateport to find my son. However, it's a dangerous journey to get there. We'll call a boat ride a payment for taking me safely to Slateport."

The teens all looked around at each other. They needed a boat, that was for sure, and their only bet was Mr. Briney.

"Deal," Drew said as he and the old man shook hands.

"Then we'll let you kids rest up, and leave in the morning."

* * *

><p>The next morning the group headed out. Drew lead the way followed by Gary with Briney in the middle and the two girls following behind with Arcanine and Ivysaur. Flygon flew overhead to keep an eye out while Blaziken leaped from tree to tree to have his own vantage point.<p>

"We have to be cautious. We don't just have The Oppression to worry about, wild Pokemon can be very dangerous." Drew said as they walked.

"We're not stupid," May muttered. Leaf gave her a cautious glance as Drew glared over his shoulder. May had been in a bad mood since her spat with Drew the night before, and it made Leaf a little uneasy. They were in a life or death situation and in order to survive they had to work together. With May and Drew at each others throats, they could potentially put the whole group at risk.

"Don't you think you should go easy on Drew?" Leaf whispered to her friend.

"What do you mean?" May questioned.

"You're acting a little bitter toward him, don't you think?" Leaf pushed.

"What? No I'm not." May denied as she looked back up to Drew. He stole a glance back at them and she glared at him. With a glare of his own he turned back around causing Gary to give them questioning stares.

"So the stress of everything may have caused a little tension. It's nothing to worry about, we always fight." Leaf gave May a knowing look.

"Alright, I'll apologize." May huffed as she picked up her speed to catch up with Drew and Gary.

Without missing a beat Gary slowed his pace to walk next to Leaf. He slung his arm over her shoulder which she immediately shrugged off. At least those two hadn't changed.

"I'm not really in the mood for your bad attitude May." Drew said while keeping his face looking forward. May was a little annoyed at that. Here she was going out of her way to come over to apologize, and he was being a jerk. She had half a mind to walk back over to Leaf and forget the apology, but she knew her friend would nag her about it.

"Chill, I came to apologize for what I said last night." He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, and she continued. "It was wrong of me to blame you for what happened to Ash, I know you were just protecting me. I was just frustrated by everything." She said with a sigh.

Drew remained silent for a minute and May thought he wasn't going to replay, when he finally said "I never thought I'd here an apology from you of all people." He finally turned his head to look at her. "I wasn't sure sorry was even in your vocabulary."

May instantly narrowed her eyes. "Why can't you just take the apology like a normal person?" She seethed. A smirk made its way onto his face as he watched her reaction.

"Because getting a reaction out of you is much more fun." He said with a shrug.

"You're such a jerk!" She yelled at him as she tried to punch his arm, but he easily stepped out of the way, causing her to stumble and his smirk to grow.

Leaf, Gary, and Briney watched them in amusement.

"Glad to see them back to normal." Leaf said with a sigh of relief.

"Do they always bicker like that?" Mr. Briney questioned.

"Yes," Leaf and Gary replied instantly.

* * *

><p>The group walked for what seemed like hours. After a while Mr. Briney had gotten tired so they let him ride on Arcanine, but now the rest of the group was starting to get tired. May felt like her legs were turning into jelly, and Drew refused to let them take even a small break.<p>

"Can we please take a break?" May begged as she stopped and fell to the ground on her knees. The rest of them turned to look at her pouting form and rolled their eyes.

"Would you stop complaining? We're almost out of the forest." Drew stated, sounding incredibly annoyed.

"You said that same thing an hour ago!" She whined.

"She has a point, we could use all use a break. We've been walking for hours without rest." Leaf reasoned.

Drew looked between the two girls and let out a sigh. "Fine, ten minutes." He said as he glanced around. He'd had an uneasy feeling for the past few hours, as if they were being watched. With nothing but a mysterious forest surrounding them, anything could happen.

May and Leaf sat down with sighs of relief as their aching muscles relaxed. Their Pokemon joined them as they too relaxed next to their trainers. Mr. Briney stretched his muscles while Gary petted Arcanine's fur as thanks for carrying the old man. Flygon perched in a tree while Drew climbed another and sat on a branch. He surveyed the area, but with so many trees it was hard to really spot anything. His gaze traveled back down to the two girls sitting on the ground. They almost looked so innocent in his eyes. Just a couple of teenage girls without a care in the world, but he knew better. They were scared, and tired, and they had every right to be. Their whole lives had been flipped upside down only a day ago.

What was Lance thinking? They were just a group of four scared kids. If that flute was so important, why in the world would he entrust them with it? Of course if he had to give it to students, they were perhaps the best team for it. He and Gary were both very skilled with a sword, not to mention they had powerful partner Pokemon. Leaf could also hold her own with a sword, but was exceptionally skilled at medicine and poisons. With her Ivysaur's powders she's made all sorts of them. Then there was May, talented beyond belief with a bow. What she lacked in close range combat, she made up for with her powerful Blaziken. It was obvious she put a lot of time in training with her Pokemon, the two were an impressive team. Looking at their tired group now, however, you would never guess they all had such talent.

Drew leaned back against the tree, he hadn't realized how exhausted he was until then. Maybe he was being a little to hard on the group, as important as it was to get out of the forest, it was also important to take a break now and then. If they were tired, they wouldn't fair well if they were attacked. Just as this thought crossed his mind, he heard a quiet chuckle behind him. He turned around wide eyed as he saw a man standing on the branch slightly behind his.

_"When did he-?" _Drew didn't have time to finish his thought as a boot hit him in the chest and sent him flying out of the tree. He landed on the ground with a grunt causing the rest of the group to jump up in alert.

He heard another laugh as a woman came out of the bushes across from the man in the tree. She was a beautiful woman with really long hot pink hair. He immediately noticed their red and black uniforms."The Oppression," Gary hissed. They had found them.

"What do we have here Jess?" The man said as he jumped down from the tree, causing his blue chin length hair to sway.

"Looks to me like a couple of escaped students who better prepare for trouble, James." The woman, Jess, replied.

"I'd make that double," James purred.

The teens instantly backed toward each other to form a circle around Mr. Briney. Leaf, Gary, and Drew pulled out their swords while May readied her bow and took aim at James. The Pokemon stayed where they were but let out growls of warning.

"Jessie, I think they plan to fight back." James laughed as a Weezing floated up next to him.

A large intimidating Arbok slithered over to Jessie as she too laughed. "That's rather adorable." She replied.

Drew could feel his hands shaking, he wasn't sure if it was from being so exhausted, or if it was from the intimidation the two goons were giving off. They seemed different than the one's that attacked the school. Their uniforms were slightly altered, while the other grunts had red uniforms with black gloves and black boots, these two had black uniforms with red gloves and boots. However, it wasn't just their uniforms, it was the way they held themselves, as if they held some higher authority.

"Look James, that one's shaking." Jessie mussed as she eyed Drew. He clenched his jaw and glared at her for the comment.

May looked over at Drew next to her. Jessie was right, Drew was shaking, and that scared her even more. If Drew was scared then that meant they were in some serious trouble. May could feel her own hands start to shake and she tried to calm herself. She wouldn't be able to shoot her bow without steady hands. Drew noticed May's fear and narrowed his eyes. This was no good, if they showed fear, it would give them a disadvantage. He let out a steady breath as he looked over at James.

"So are you just going to stand there taunting us, or are you going to do something?" He asked as the fear was replaced with adrenaline. The others looked at him as if he were crazy for speaking out.

"I like this one James, can we keep him?" Jessie asked as she licked her lips while staring Drew down. Her gaze sent a shiver down his spine.

"Go ahead, we'll give the others to the boss as a present." He said with a wicked smile. They all gulped at the thought.

"Weezing, smoke screen!" James ordered, and his Pokemon filled the entire area with blinding smoke.

The group covered their faces as they coughed.

"I. Can't. See." May coughed out as she tried to spot the two goons.

"Flygon, blow it away!" Drew called out with his sleeve covering his mouth.

Flygon easily blew away the smoke, but as it disappeared, so did they two villains. The group frantically looked around as Arbok jumped out from the trees and wrapped itself around Flygon. Flygon let out a cry as his wings were pinned and he fell to the ground with the snake wrapped around him. The two Pokemon struggled, but it was easy to see that Arbok had a strong hold.

"Blaziken, flamethrower!" May commanded. Blaziken shot out a powerful flame, but Arbok let go of Flygon at the last minute to dodge the attack, which then instead, hit Flygon. The Pokemon cried out as he was thrown back by the attack. Drew glared at May. "Nice one," He hissed. She replied with a meek sorry.

Before any of them could make another move, a sludge attack was shot out of the trees and into Ivysaur and Arcanine's eyes. The two Pokemon cried out as they tried to remove the gunk from their vision to no avail.

"Cheap move!" Gary yelled out in the direction the attack came from.

Leaf ran to her Pokemon, only to be caught by Arbok. The Pokemon wrapped itself tightly around her and she let out a cry of pain.

"Leaf!" May and Gary cried out as soon as they heard their friend scream. Drew instantly ran toward her, but was stopped by James. The two immediately clashed swords and began a struggle of strength.

May aimed her bow at the snake, but was afraid to release the arrow in fear of it moving and hitting Leaf instead.

"Make a move and I'll have him crush her," Jessie said, reappearing from the forest as Gary started forward.

"Let her go," Gary warned.

"Or what twerp?" She said with a smirk. Just then May released an arrow that flew passed Jessie's face, but not without cutting the skin on her cheek, causing a line of blood to run down her chin.

"Or the next one goes through your eye." May warned as she readied another arrow.

"You little brat!" Jessie seethed as she put her hand up to her now cut face. "How dare you damage my beautiful face!"

Arbok instantly released Leaf and headed straight toward May, but was cut off by Blaziken.

"Sky upper cut!" May called out. Blaziken threw his fist up and slammed into Arbok's chin, sending him flying back and crashing next to Jessie.

As May fought with Jessie, Drew was struggling against James. He was managing to hold his own, but he felt himself growing tired too quickly. He was now regretting the no break thing. James slashed at Drew with his sword which Drew was barely able to avoid. He brought down his own sword, which James parried. Drew jumped back before James was able to slice at his neck. He let out a shaky breath, if he hadn't moved in time he would have lost his head. Just then his attention was diverted when he heard May cry out as Arbok shot a poison sting at her. Luckily Blaziken stopped the attack, but it was just the distraction James needed to get close. Then before he could move, James sliced his sword across Drew's abdomen. He hissed in pain as he fell to his knees clutching his stomach. Flygon immediately flew to his aid, but was tackled by Weezing.

"We're getting destroyed!" Gary said as he helped Leaf get to safety. Ivysaur and Arcanine had managed to get the sludge out of their eyes and looked to their trainers for a command.

"Arcanine, get Mr. Briney out of here." Gary instructed. With a nod, Briney climbed on Arcanine's back and the Pokemon took to the forest.

"Ivysaur, stun spore." Leaf said to her Pokemon. He nodded his head as he released a cloud of yellow powder. Leaf and Gary quickly covered their faces with their shirts, being careful not to breathe in the spore. Blaziken noticed the spore and grabbed May, then jumped into the trees and out of the area. Drew pulled his shirt over his face as Flygon slammed Weezing away and flew over to him. He flew down to Drew who barely managed to hold onto his neck as he flew him out of the range of the attack. Jessie and James didn't realize what the attack was quick enough, and were paralyzed on the spot. The group then got out of there as quickly as they could.

They all made it out of the area to safety, and found Arcanine was waiting with Mr. Briney by a small pond. Blaziken jumped from the trees and landed next to them while setting May back on the ground.

"Thanks Blaziken," She said as Leaf and Gary ran up with Ivysaur. "That was smart thinking," May said to her friend as they came to a stop in front of her.

"Thanks," Leaf said as she caught her breath.

"Where's Drew?" Gary asked as he looked around.

Flygon then came from the sky and landed as he let out a cry of worry. Drew fell off his back and hit the ground with a thud. May let out a gasp as she ran toward his non-moving form.

"Drew!" She called to him as she rolled him over. A spasm of pain contorted his face as he clutched his stomach.

"He's been hurt!" She yelled to the others as they ran over and leaned over him.

"I can make something to stop the bleeding." Leaf stated as she stood up and ran to the forest to gather some plants.

Gary took off his vest and pushed it against Drew's stomach, despite his painful protests.

"We have to stop the bleeding," Gary told him.

"It doesn't look too deep. You're going to be okay," May said shakily as she brushed Drew's hair off of his sweat covered forehead. She wasn't sure if she was saying it to reassure him or herself.

Without a word, Drew grabbed her hand to get her attention.

"Can't...stay..." He managed to mutter, and she quickly shushed him.

May looked over at Gary, "How long before they come after us again?"

"The stun spore won't wear off for a half hour at least," He replied.

Gary's jaw clenched as he felt blood start to seep through the vest. At this rate Drew was going to bleed to death.

"Blaziken, go help Leaf." May told her Pokemon. Blaziken quickly ran off to help Leaf with whatever concoction she was making.

"I have a good friend in Oldale Town." Briney spoke up. "I can't guarantee that the town hasn't been attacked, but if it hasn't, he could help."

May and Gary shared a look. "It's worth a shot." He said as he looked back to the forest as Leaf came running up with a jar in her hand.

"I didn't have all my usual tools, but using what I found around here and what I had in my bag I managed to make something." She said as she scooped some strange substance out of the jar.

"Pull up his shirt," She said and Gary followed her instructions.

They all cringed at what they saw, the wound was bad. It was no wonder Drew was in so much pain.

"You're going to have to hold him down, this is probably going to hurt." She said and with that they braced themselves.

As soon as Leaf touched him, Drew let out hiss from the pain. He started thrashing around as she tried to spread the medicine over his wound. Gary instantly held him down as May grabbed his hands. May's heart broke at the cry of pain he made as Leaf treated him. His frantic spasms seemed to last forever, until he finally stopped moving. She let out a sigh of relief as Leaf finished wrapping him up. He was out cold, the only indication of life was his raspy breathing.

"I laced it with some sleep powder, he should be out for a while." Leaf said as she stood up. The bleeding had finally almost stopped, but he wasn't exactly out of the woods yet.

May stared at Drew's sleeping form. If that James guy could do this to Drew, none of them stood a chance. They had to get out of the forest, and get Drew real medical attention. They only had one option and May didn't know if it was safe, but one thing was for sure, if Oldale Town was taken over, then Drew could die.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry that I took forever to post this chapter, but hey I have a life :P Thank you everyone who has favoritedfollowed, you're all my inspiration! Thank you Ready to Fly for your kind words! :)**

****Also, to I'll Break Your Heart: Yup, Red is going to play a pretty big part in this story! And yes, there will be other manga characters, I'm using characters from all of the Pokemon Universes so you'll never know who I could decide to throw in, but I will tell you that, yes, Lyra will probably make an appearance. ;)****


	4. Chapter 4

With Drew carefully placed on Arcanine's back, the group made their way toward Oldale Town in hope that they could find help. It didn't take them long to find the edge of the forest, and they let out sighs of relief as they made their way out of the trees.

"Oldale Town is just over that hill," Briney said as he pointed to a small hill just ahead of them.

"What'll we do if The Oppression has taken it over?" Leaf asked as she took a nervous glance at Drew's unconscious form.

May glowered at her friend. "That's not going to be the case," She stated firmly as she started toward the hill with a look of determination. Gary clenched his fists as he followed after her. While he didn't share her optimism, it was his friend's only hope, and he silently prayed to himself that May was right. As the two made it to the top of the hill they stopped with wide eyes. May let out a gasp as she fell to her knees. Gary paused next to her with a blank expression. Neither one could utter a single word. May was overwhelmed with relief as she let out a shaky breath. The town was in perfect shape, with no signs of The Oppression to be seen.

Panic flooded Leaf's brain as she watched May fall to her knees. Was she so upset that the town was gone that she couldn't even stand? Wanting to see for herself, Leaf ran up the hill, followed by Briney and the Pokemon. Much to her surprise, and delight, she saw a safe and quiet town. She couldn't help the small joyful laugh that escaped her lips. She had never seen such a wonderful sight.

"It's a miracle!" Leaf cried out as she ran down the hill toward the town. May and Gary laughed at her antics before following after her, the rest of the group close behind.

They received a few questioning stares as they ran through the town, heading toward the largest building. They burst through the door, scaring the unsuspecting people inside.

"We need some help!" May shouted to them.

"May? Is that you?" The man in charge questioned as he appeared from behind a few people in lab coats. He was wearing a lab coat of his own, and had brown hair, with a short brown beard to match.

"Professor Birch? What are you doing here?" She exclaimed.

"We moved my lab closer to the Petalburg Woods so we could research the Pokemon habitats better. What are you doing here?" He asked as he looked over her messy state.

"My friend, he's hurt." She said as she motioned toward Drew. Birch's gaze followed hers and found the injured boy.

"Oh dear. Take him to the other room!" He called over to his assistants. They worked quickly, moving him onto a gurney and carting him away.

"Is he going to be okay?" Leaf asked.

"Don't you worry about a thing. Treating Pokemon and humans isn't really so different." He assured her as he followed after his assistants.

The group finally relaxed a little as they all sat down.

"I wasn't aware you knew the professor," Briney said to May.

She froze as she looked over at all their faces staring at her.

"Oh yeah, I've known him for years. He's good friends with my parents and I grew up with his son." She said sheepishly as she scratched the back of her head nervously.

"Why didn't you ever tell me about that?" Leaf questioned.

"I didn't really think it was important." May replied as she avoided her friend's gaze.

Noticing her discomfort, Gary decided to change the subject. "It was just lucky that The Oppression hasn't been here."

Mr. Briney nodded his head in agreement. "Lucky indeed. Your friend is in good hands now," He said as he stroked his beard.

"But how long until those two come after us?" Leaf inquired.

Gary gulped at the thought of those goons coming after them again. It wasn't as if it weren't obvious that their group would come here. It was the closest town, that also happened to be free from The Oppression, not to mention one of them was injured. When it came to tracking them down, the town would be the first place to look. Then again, there were only two of them. If they came around the town looking for trouble, the towns people would probably put up a fight. No, the two of them alone wouldn't dare an attack, but that doesn't mean they couldn't call in reinforcements. Gary shivered at the thought. They had to get out of the town as fast as possible, but with Drew injured, there was no telling how long it would take before he's up and around.

"We'll just have to keep our guard up," May answered for Gary, seeing that he was lost in thought.

They then sat in silence until Professor Birch finally made his way back out to them. "Your friend is going to be okay," He said with a smile. They all sighed in relief at the news.

"Who made that impressive medicine?" He asked.

"Leaf did, she's really good with that kind of stuff." May said as she motioned toward her friend.

Leaf blushed as she fiddled with her hands. "I'm alright," She said modestly.

"Alright? You're incredible. Have you ever considered working in a lab?" He questioned.

"No, I think I work better out in the world, not cooped up in a lab." She replied.

"Too bad, you'd be pretty helpful here." He mused as his gaze landed on Mr. Briney. "What happened to all of you anyways?" He finally asked as if he had just realized they were all covered in blood and dirt.

* * *

><p>"I see, so the academy is gone. I'm sorry to hear that." He said after they had told him all that had happened. "But I bet your parents are just fine," He said to May. She gave him a weak smile. He then turned his attention to the old man sitting across from him. "I'm not sure if Briney was lucky to have found you kids, or if you were lucky he found you."<p>

"I'd say we were all lucky," Gary said with a shrug.

"Not all of us," May said quietly. They all frowned at her comment.

Birch put a hand on her shoulder, "I said he was going to be alright, didn't I?" He stated.

She replied with a meek nod of her head. Looking to change the subject, his eyes found Blaziken.

"I see Blaziken is looking well." He said and Blaziken gave him a nod. "In fact, you all have such great looking Pokemon. Would you mind if I checked them out?" He asked with excitement.

They all shrugged as he ran over to inspect all of the Pokemon. "Incredible, how do these Pokemon keep such healthy coats?" He pondered to himself as he ran his hand through Arcanine's fur, and then lifted up his giant paw to inspect it. The Pokemon looked uncomfortable as the man continued to look them over with enthusiasm.

"He sure seems, interesting." Leaf commented.

"The Professor, is a good man." Briney said with a nod.

"Um, Professor," May spoke up. Birch turned his attention from the Pokemon, to the young girl. "How is it, that you haven't heard about The Oppression's attacks?" She inquired.

"Good question. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to communicate with anyone outside of town for some time now. A few groups set out to Little Root Town and Petalburg City to see if they could find anything out, but they never returned. It appears that The Oppression's first step, was to cut off communication throughout the region." He replied.

"That's smart." Gary remarked. They all turned their attention to him. "It's the first thing you'd want to do when taking a place over. If they can't communicate, the region will become a confused mess. No one would be able to call for help."

"That's exactly what happened in Kanto," Leaf stated.

"It's only a matter of time before they take this town too," A new voice chimed in. Their heads all whipped around to find Drew clinging to the door way catching his breath.

"What are you doing? You should be resting!" May yelled at him.

"I'm fine," He argued as he used the wall to hold himself up as he walked over to them.

"Clearly you're not," Leaf retorted.

"It doesn't matter, we need to move on before those two goons come here looking for us. We're just putting this town in danger by being here." He told them.

They all frowned, knowing he was right. Birch looked around at the lifeless group.

"I think you all need a good rest and a change of clothes before you go anywhere," He said.

"But-" Drew tried, but the Professor cut him off.

"I insist," He stated firmly.

Birch was right. The group was exhausted, not to mention Drew's injury. They could all do with some food and rest. Their clothes were also torn and bloody, so perhaps some new clothes wouldn't be a bad idea either. They decided to go with what he said and stay the night.

* * *

><p>The next day, the group was ready to hit the road. They had all gotten a much needed good nights rest, not to mention, a wonderful meal prepared by Birch himself. That morning they also went to the small store in town and picked up some new clothes. Drew had gone with a black long sleeve shirt, with an open purple collared short sleeve shirt over it. He had light blue pants and dark shoes along with it. May went with a red, white, and blue shirt that went well with her bandanna, along with skin tight shorts. She had a small yellow bag around her waist and matching shoes. Leaf wore a light blue tank top with a red skirt and a yellow bag slung over her shoulder. She also picked out a white hat with a pink design. Gary had a black collared shirt with dark purple pants and black shoes. Leaf had taken the school's crest off of their school uniforms, and attached them to each of their bags. It was her way of making sure that they could keep a memory of their school.<p>

They all stood outside of Birch's Lab saying their goodbyes. He had made sure that they were well rested and had plenty of supplies for their journey.

"Thank you for everything," Drew said to Birch as he shook his hand.

"It was nothing. Especially not for little May." He beamed. May blushed from behind Leaf. "Just make sure you get there safely." He said as he stared at May. There seemed to be some unspoken conversation between them before May finally nodded. They all said their final goodbyes as they headed for Slateport City.

"Are you sure you're okay to be traveling?" May asked Drew as they walked. He was riding on Flygon and it was easy to see that even just sitting up was taking its toll on him. He turned his head to glare at her.

"I'm fine," He assured her. May and Leaf shared a knowing look. Of course Drew was too proud to admit he wasn't feeling well. Luckily the group had learned their lesson and planned to take rests often. However, May still kept a close eye on the green haired teen. They estimated the journey would take a little over a day, possibly more with their frequent rests.

After walking around half a mile, Blaziken noticed something. "Blaze!" He called to his trainer. May turned back to see what her Pokemon wanted, and spotted it quickly. From back in the direction they came, there was a large pillar of smoke. She stopped in her tracks and stared wide eyed. The others also turned around, and were left speechless. It had to be Oldale Town.

"Professor!" May called out as she started back toward the town.

Gary instantly reached out and grabbed her arm. "There's nothing you can do now." He told her.

"But it's our fault!" Leaf exclaimed.

"No it's not. They would have looked for us in that town even if we never stopped there." Drew commented.

"The Professor knew they were at risk." Gary added.

"All we can do is put some distance between us and that town while they're searching it." Briney stated.

A tear slid down May's face, and she quickly wiped it away, as she turned around and started walking away from the smoke. The others watched her with sadness, then followed after her. She just hoped the Professor would be okay.

* * *

><p>When it started to get dark, the group decided to stop and camp for the night.<p>

"What if they catch up to us?" Leaf asked as they sat in front of the fire Blaziken made.

"They won't," Gary assured her.

She didn't look to believe him as she stared wearily into the fire. May stood up from her spot by the fire and made her way over to Drew, who was sitting against a tree next to Flygon.

"How are you feeling?" She asked as she sat down next to him.

"Better, Professor Birch really knew what he was doing." He answered.

May frowned at the thought of the professor. "I'm sure he's fine," Drew added when he saw her expression.

"I'm sure he is, but I still can't help but worry. He's an old family friend after all." She said as she fiddled with a stick she found on the ground.

The two sat in an awkward silence, neither knowing what to say. Drew took the time to study May's face. Her features were pretty average, but still pretty, although it was her sapphire eyes that stood out. He couldn't help but notice the shine that was usually present in her eyes, was replaced with a dullness. The stresses and worries seemed to have taken their toll on the girl. Drew couldn't help but wish he knew a way to bring the shine back to those beautiful eyes. He missed the way her whole face lit up when she smiled.

"What are you staring at?" May asked, breaking Drew out of his trance.

"You look tired, you should sleep," He said avoiding the question.

"Fine," She said as she leaned against the tree right next to him.

He stiffened from the closeness as she rested her head on his shoulder. He felt himself relax as he listened to her steady breathing. He was rather amazed at how quickly the girl fell asleep, and he soon found himself dozing off as well.

When Drew woke up the next morning he was disappointed to find May was no longer next to him. He looked over their camp to find her sitting in front of what was left of their fire. Gary and Leaf were cuddled next to each other against Arcanine, while Mr. Briney was sleeping peacefully in a pile of leafs.

"How long have you been awake?" He asked her as he slowly got up and went to sit next to her.

"I took over watch from Leaf a couple of hours before sunrise." She said as she poked the non-existent fire with a stick.

"Why didn't anyone wake me for a shift?" He asked sounding frustrated by the baby treatment.

She glanced at him not bothering to reply since he already knew the answer.

"We should wake the others and get moving." May said as she stood up. Drew stared at the ground for a minute before he stood up too. He looked over just in time to see Leaf wake up and realize she was cuddled up next to Gary. She let out a shriek as she smacked him in the head yelling something about him being a pervert. Drew couldn't help but chuckle at the cry of pain his friend made as he woke in confusion.

"Well you're all lively in the morning," A familiar feminine voice said from within the forest.

The group all froze as they recognized who it belonged to. Their heads turned to the direction the voice came from.

"H-how did they find us already?" Leaf stuttered as she started to shake.

"Did you honestly think you were going to get away?" James asked as he walked out from behind a tree.

The group instantly got into battle stances.

"You may have been lucky last time, but this time you're coming with us," Jessie told them in a fierce voice.

May looked over at Drew. He looked like he could hardly even hold up his sword. He wouldn't be any use against them this time. Gary was pretty good with a sword, but she wondered if he'd be able to fight that James guy, when even Drew couldn't. She doubted Leaf's plan from last time would work again. Her mind raced to find some way out of their predicament.

Without warning James started forward and before anyone could blink, his sword pierced through the unsuspecting Mr. Briney. Leaf let out a scream as the others gasped in surprise. May shot an arrow at James, but he quickly removed his sword and jumped out of the way, as Briney sank to the floor.

"You monster!" May screeched as she shot another arrow at James, but he used his sword to cut it down before it got to him.

"We don't need a pathetic old man. Our interest is in strong young trainers only. Anyone else is cut down on the spot." James told her coldly.

"That's sick!" Leaf yelled at him.

James merely laughed at her outburst. May eyed the old man coughing up blood on the ground and rushed off to him. As soon as she moved, James was after her. In an instant Drew cut him off and their swords clashed.

"I'm amazed you're still alive kid. But can you handle round two?" James mocked as he pushed forward. Drew let out a cry of pain as he clutched his stomach and fell to the ground. "Didn't think so," He said as he smirked at the green haired teen.

"I'll take you on!" Gary called out as he rushed the lavender haired man. The two were then locked in a harsh sword fight. Flygon and Arcanine ran toward their trainers, but were stopped in their tracks by Arbok. The snake Pokemon used a glare attack and paralyzed the other two Pokemon on the spot.

Leaf noticed it was her time to act, and she had Ivysaur use vine whip on Arbok. The two Pokemon then began a struggle of strength as they pulled against each other. Weezing rushed in to help Arbok, but was cut off by an angry looking Blaziken.

Jessie took this moment to attack Leaf, and while she wasn't as good with a sword as James, it was easy to see she was over powering Leaf. Meanwhile, May was kneeling over Briney. She took some bandages out of her bag and pressed them against his wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

"You're going to be okay," She tried to assure him. He coughed up more blood as he eyed the teen sadly. He wasn't upset about dying, he was after all an old man, he'd lived his life. He just wished he'd had enough time to properly help the group of lost teens.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture. He shakily handed it to May. She looked at him questioningly as she looked down at the small picture. It was a younger Briney and next to him stood a young boy, behind them was a boat.

"This is my boat. You'll find it at the docks in Slateport. Use it to get to Johto." He whispered.

"No, you're going to take us to it. You're not going to die here!" She told him as she held back tears.

"Don't worry about me. I'm just an old sailor. But take care of Peeko for me." He coughed out. Said Pokemon, let out a sorrowful cry next to him.

"Okay, I can do that." She said as she held onto his hand. It was clear to her that he had no chance of living.

James had gotten the upper hand on Gary, and had managed to knock him to the ground. Gary panicked as his sword was knocked away and he was now defenseless. James stood over him with a wicked smile.

"Well, I think I'll kill you. I'm sure the boss won't mind one less twerp." James said as he held his sword up, ready to pierce it through him. Just as he was bringing the sword down he stopped. He looked down to find a sword protruding from his chest. The sword in his hand clattered to the ground as he turned around to find a panting Drew behind him.

"I'm sure your boss. Won't mind. One less lackey either." He said in between breaths while still clutching his stomach.

With a look of pure shock, James fell to the ground and Drew removed his sword from the non-moving body. Jessie paused as she noticed there were no longer sounds of a fight from the boys. She glanced over to find James no longer standing. Her vision blurred with rage. Had they really managed to kill James? That's impossible for simple teenagers.

"I'll kill you all!" She screamed as she turned on Leaf. She was no longer toying around, using all her might she slammed her sword against Leaf's causing the young girl to loose her grip, and her sword to fall to the ground. As soon as May saw this she grabbed her bow and shot an arrow. It hit Jessie in the chest, and she too fell to the ground. When their Pokemon noticed their trainers were both down, they instantly fled. May couldn't help but wonder what kind of Pokemon abandoned their partners.

The group of teens all stayed where they were, unsure if either villain would get back up. When they felt they were safe they all gathered around the dying Briney.

"What can we do?" Gary asked.

"There's nothing we can do," Leaf said quietly as she looked over the old man.

"Don't. Look so sad . I'm just sorry. I couldn't have. Been more help," Briney managed to choke out.

"No, if it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have even made it this far." Drew assured him. "So, thank you." The others all added in their own thanks, and Briney managed a smile.

"Thank you. For giving an old man a purpose," Briney said as his eyes slowly close. The group of teens watched as his chest slowly stopped moving.

"Mr. Briney?" Leaf whispered.

"He's gone," Gary stated. Peeko let out a sorrowful cry as he flew circles around the group.

Drew stood up, and the others eyed him wearily. He clenched his fists as a scowl made its way onto his face.

"We're going to make them pay." He said silently.

Gary stood up as he looked over at the two other still bodies on the ground. "If you haven't noticed, we already did." He said.

"Not just them. All of them. I'm going to make all of them pay for everything. For the school, for Professor Birch, for Mr. Briney, for everything." He stated as his gaze met his friends.

Gary shivered under Drew's intense gaze. He'd never seen him so upset before.

"I'm with you," May stated as she too stood up with a sense of determination.

"Me too," Leaf followed after her.

They all looked over to Gary. He smirked as he shoved his hands in his pocket. "Well lets get to Johto," He said as he looked over his friends.

They were going to find Red, and they were going to stop this war.

* * *

><p><strong>So sorry I took forever to post this! I had a lot going on. I hope this was worth the wait. I actually feel really bad for killing Briney. Also, I hope you caught that their new outfits are just what they wear in the showgames, to me it makes it easier to picture them in what they usually wear. Anywho, thanks to everyone that reviewed or favorited! :) Oh and to I'll Break Your Heart, your words are too kind, and I'm a Lyra/Silver shipper too! I like your style! ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

The group walked in silence as they made their way to Slateport City. After burying Mr. Briney, the reality of the situation sunk in. Death was part of the war, they were all very much aware of that, but it was the first time they could have stopped it, but failed. They each felt a pang of guilt, thinking if there was something they could have done, perhaps the old man would still be around. Peeko was perched on May's shoulder. She had promised to care for the small Pokemon, and that's exactly what she was going to do. Without it's partner, a Pokemon could easily die from depression. The bond between a trainer and their partner Pokemon was strong, and it was easy to see that the Wingull was feeling the loss of her very long time friend.

"There it is!" Gary called out. The three other teens followed his gaze to find that Slateport was finally within their sights.

"What a sight for sore eyes," Leaf said with a sigh of relief.

"Or maybe not," Drew said in a serious tone, as he took notice of the shape the city was in.

The group hid within the forest as they watched a group of grunts walk by. There was a line of people chained together by the docks. It looked as though they were going to be put on a ship and transported. Taking a closer look, they saw that the people in chains looked awfully young, and not just that. They were wearing very familiar outfits. They were the outfits the group had worn not too long ago.

"Those are kids from our school!" Leaf exclaimed only to be shushed by Drew next to her.

"Where are they taking them?" Gary asked as they all stared at the line of their terrified classmates.

May eyed the group of students carefully trying to see if she knew any of them. Most of them were younger and only slightly familiar to her, until she saw one that instantly caught her attention.

He was at the back of the line, and the only one wearing a red tie, a clear indication he was a senior. A grunt shoved him forward, and he said a remark defiantly, earning him a hit to the face. The other students all flinched as the oldest among them fell to the ground. He got back up as he wiped the blood from his mouth, and looked over to reassure the younger ones.

"Ash," She whispered as she watched her friend.

'_So he's okay,' _She thought to herself. She was filled with relief to see him. Despite the situation he was in, it was easy to see that he was remaining calm, if not for himself, then for the younger kids with him. It was just like Ash to look out for others. She smiled to herself as he gave a reassuring smile to the other kids that were chained up with him, causing them to slightly relax.

Drew looked over at May as she stared at her friend. He couldn't help but feel a small pang of jealousy. He instantly shook it off as he looked back to the docks. Ash was her friend, as well as his, it was only natural that she'd be relieved to see him unharmed. Especially when she had to watch as he was taken away. There were only about ten kids chained together, and Drew wondered where the rest were. There were far more than that taken from the school.

"Do you think they're going to one of those brainwashing places?" Leaf wondered aloud.

The group all froze at the thought. It made the most sense. If the rumors were true, they could turn anyone into one of their grunts. Students from one of the academies would be perfect for it. They were well trained, so it was no wonder the grunts were only taking the students that could hold their own. They were going to brain wash them.

"We can't let them be taken away," May whispered over to Drew.

The green haired teen glanced over at her and then back to the docks. She had a point, even if she only wanted to save her friend. If that group got brainwashed it would mean less allies, and more enemies. The less grunts they had to fight, the better. The only problem was how they were going to save them. There were grunts all over the city, not just the group of them at the docks. It was easy to see they were outnumbered, not to mention Drew was injured. He knew he wouldn't put up much of a fight.

"So what do we do?" Leaf asked him and he shook his head.

"I have no idea," He stated in defeat as he watched his chained up classmates be shoved toward the ship.

They were out of time to think. It was either take action now, or watch as their fellow students were taken away. He opted for the first option. If they could take out the group of grunts at the dock, and get out of there before the one's in the city noticed, they might just get away. In one motion he signaled Flygon, jumped on his Pokemon, and flew toward the docks. The other three teens stood in shock for a minute before following after their friend with their own Pokemon behind them.

The chained teens looked up in surprise as Drew flew over them and brought his sword down, cutting down the grunt leading them toward the boat. Before they could even register what was happening, Leaf rushed over with Ivysaur, who managed to use a razor leaf to cut off the chains.

"This way!" Gary called out to the now free teenagers. The group of ten ran toward Gary only to be cut off by a couple of angry grunts. May jumped into action and shot down one of the grunts, while Leaf clashed swords with the other. The ten teens took advantage of the moment and followed Gary into the forest, all but one. Ash ran back and took the sword of the grunt May shot down. He then started toward the ship that his small group was going to be put on.

"Ash, where are you going?" May called after him.

He paused only for a minute to turn around and tell her, "I'm going to get Pikachu!" With that said he ran into the ship. May quickly followed after him, much to Drew's protests. Drew was ready to go after them, until he saw a group of grunts coming their way.

"We have to hold them off." He yelled over to Leaf as she finished off the grunt she was fighting.

The group of five grunts made it over to them with their Pokemon. Drew jumped down from Flygon as his Pokemon joined Blaziken and Ivysaur in the battle against the grunt's Pokemon. Gary made his way from the forest and cut down a grunt that was about to stab Leaf. She muttered a thanks as she moved on to another. Drew had managed to take out one, but regretted it as he clutched his stomach hoping he hadn't opened his stitches. While Gary fought the fourth grunt, the fifth made his way over to the pained Drew. But just before the man could reach him, an arrow pierced through his neck. May and Ash had finally emerged from the ship with a collection of stolen Pokemon, including Ash's Pikachu. With the additional numbers, the grunts realized they were out matched and ran into the city for back up.

"Let's get out of here before they come back," Gary called out.

The group made their way back into the forest and met up with the rest of the kids.

* * *

><p>"You guys sure made it right on time," Ash commented as the group hid out in a nearby cave.<p>

"It was just luck. I honestly thought I'd never see you again." May told him as she gave him a bone crushing hug.

"Another minute and you wouldn't have. We'd have been gone just like the others." Ash told her with a frown.

"So you aren't the only ones that were here?" Leaf asked him.

Ash shook his head. "No, there were a lot more of us, but they started putting us on ships and sending us off. We were the last group."

"Where were they taking you?" Gary questioned.

"They call them reprogramming centers," A girl with long blonde hair answered, her tie indicated she was a junior.

"It's where they take their prisoners. And rumor is, it's where they brainwash you into joining The Oppression." The boy with shaggy black hair said next to her.

"Serena, Calem, those are just rumors," Ash told them.

"But are they really?" Drew asked joining the conversation.

The group all stared at him. As much as they wanted to believe the rumors weren't true, deep down they knew that they weren't just rumors.

"So why did you guys come to Slateport City?" Ash asked hoping to change the subject.

The three brunettes all looked to Drew to answer. He rolled his eyes at them and began to explain everything that had happened to their little group since the school was attacked.

"So it really wasn't just the school then. The entire region is gone," Ash said in amazement.

"We don't know for sure, but we'd say that's most likely the case," Drew said with a sigh.

"Our problem now is we need to get to the Johto region." May told her friend. She pulled out the picture Mr. Briney had given her and showed it to him. "Have you seen this boat?"

Ash stared at the picture for a minute, but shook his head. "The only boats left at the docks are boats owned by The Oppression." He said with a frown.

Drew cursed under his breath. That was just their luck. Just then, Blaziken came inside the cave from his watch outside.

"Did they find us?" May asked him with worry. Her Pokemon shook his head as he led a small group of teens into the cave. There were only four of them, but they were all wearing the school uniform. A girl with orange hair was standing in the front. They all instantly recognized their fellow seniors. It was Misty, Paul, Dawn, and Iris. May and Leaf let out girly shrieks as they ran over to their friends.

"You guys! What are you doing here?" Leaf exclaimed as she managed to hug all three girls at once.

"Well when Paul and I managed to escape the academy, we wandered around looking for anyone else that managed to get away. Eventually we found Misty and Iris, and we've been searching for others since." Dawn explained.

"Wow, I can't believe you found us!" May said as she got to give them each a hug as well, but individually.

"Thank Blaziken. If he hadn't spotted us in the woods, we would have walked right passed you guys." Iris stated.

"No way, Ash?" Misty said in a daze as she looked passed her friends and spotted a familiar messy raven head. "I saw them take you away!" She cried out as she ran into his arms. Ash and Misty were an item, something that was relatively new. He hugged her back slowly as if he couldn't believe it was really her.

"Gary, Leaf, May and Drew all saved me, along with the rest of them." He said as he motioned to the other teens in the small cave.

"They wouldn't have had to save you if you didn't run out there trying to take on three guys at once in the first place!" Misty exclaimed as she smacked Ash on the head.

"Sorry!" He cried out as he rubbed the bump that was already forming.

"I just can't believe there's so many of us here." Leaf said thoughtfully.

"There must still be more students out there." Gary added.

"With this many of us, getting you guys a boat wouldn't be too hard." Ash stated.

He certainly had a point. Just because Briney's boat wasn't an option, didn't mean they couldn't get one by other means. The dock was full of ships just waiting to be taken. May looked over at Drew as he contemplated the idea. With eighteen of them, they had a good chance. The only problem was, some of them were unarmed. If they could get more weapons, they'd have a good chance of stealing a boat, and finally getting to Johto. But how? Drew voiced his concerns to the others.

"How about a trap?" Gary mused. The others stared at him to continue. "We send out a distraction to draw out some of them. Then we ambush them and we take their weapons."

"Well it's the only plan we have," Drew stated as he stood up. "So, who's ready to steal a ship?" He asked with a smirk.

* * *

><p>Gary half wondered how he was the one that was volunteered as bait as he walked the streets of Slateport. He grumbled to himself as he turned a corner and came face to face with a small group of grunts. They glared down at him as he slowly started backing away.<p>

"Oops, this isn't where grandma lives. I must be in the wrong neighbor hood." He said as he turned around and ran.

"Stop!" They yelled as they ran after him. He ran back through the streets and led them just inside the forest where a large group of teens were waiting.

Gary turned around and smirked as his friends surrounded him. The grunts stopped in their tracks as they realized they were out manned.

"How about you just drop your weapons, and we'll let you off easy?" Leaf said to them and they immediately dropped their weapons.

After knocking out the grunts and tying them up, the group made their way to the docks. May and Drew went ahead to finalize their plan.

"So which one?" May asked as she and Drew scoped out which ship would be best to steal.

"Preferably one that isn't too big. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves." He replied.

"But we need to have enough room for our Pokemon too," She reminded him.

He nodded as he looked over the many ships. "There," He said as he pointed to one close by.

It was a relatively small ship, not so large as to be really noticeable on the sea. It would easily get them where they needed to go. The two nodded to each other as they went to tell the group. The plan was a simple one. The grunts in the city were on to them now, and were on the search. They had to move quickly if they wanted to get away. A group of them would create a distraction in the city, while the others fought their way to the ship.

"You're sure you don't want to come with us?" May asked Ash as they got ready to part ways.

"Nah, we're going to head back out to look for other students that may have made it out. Just because Hoenn doesn't have any hidden resistance yet, doesn't mean we can't start one." He replied with a grin.

"Good luck," Drew said as he held out his hand. Ash smiled as he shook it.

"Look out for each other okay?" Leaf told her friends.

"Of course, who else will look after Dawn if I don't?" Misty said with a laugh.

"Paul," Iris said playfully, and the girls laughed as he blushed.

With that Ash's group started toward the city to create a distraction.

"Hey Ashy Boy!" Gary called out. Ash turned around to face his childhood rival. "Next time I see you, I hope you'll be less of a loser."

Ash grinned as he replied, "Next time I'll show you who the real loser is!" Pikachu agreed with his comment from on top of his messy head of hair.

Gary smirked as the groups then went their separate ways.

Drew and the other three teens waited in the forest by the docks for a signal from Peeko that Ash's group had done their part. As soon at the Wingull started flying circles over the boat, they knew it was their cue to run to the ship. Of course it wouldn't be that simple and they were cut off by two grunts that were standing guard. Gary easily cut through one, while May shot down the other. With that, they made their way onto the ship.

"Does anyone even know how to drive a ship?" Leaf asked as they made their way toward the helm. May and Gary paused as if they hadn't even thought about it. They almost started to panic when Drew spoke up. "I do," he stated as he turned it on and started messing with the many switches and buttons.

"You do?" The others asked with surprise.

Drew looked up at them as they gave him questioning looks.

"It's just something I learned when I was younger, okay?" He stated sounding annoyed.

Blaziken called out and May ran to the deck to find a large group of grunts making their way toward them.

"Now would be a good time to leave!" She yelled over to Drew. Without warning, the ship lurched forward, but not before a few grunts managed to jump on board.

"Blaziken, flamethrower!" May ordered, and her Pokemon shot a powerful flame that threw the grunts into the sea.

"Woohoo!" Leaf cheered as she ran over to the rail to look over at the ocean as her brown hair danced around her face.

"I can't believe we actually made it," Gary said with a sigh as he sat down next to Leaf.

May made her way back to Drew who was quizzically looking at a map.

"Any chance you know how to get to Johto from here?" He joked.

"Don't tell me you don't know where we're going!" She shouted at him.

"Don't yell at me. At least I know how to drive a boat, I shouldn't have to be a navigator too!" He countered.

Hearing them argue, Peeko flew in front of them before flying out and to the sky in the east.

"Peeko! Peeko is showing us where we need to go!" May exclaimed.

"We're going to follow a bird?" Drew questioned skeptically.

"Do you have a better idea?" She mocked.

With a sigh Drew turned the ship facing east, and the group set off toward the Johto region.

* * *

><p><strong>So I like this chapter, and not just because Ash was in it being all adorable and such, but because the group is finally on their way! And although this isn't a AshMisty or Dawn/Paul story, I felt the need to throw them in there, at least for a little bit. Hey at least you know what they're up to, and they might come back later on.**

****I'll Break Your Heart: Your words really mean a lot. And thank you, I really try to keep them all in character, because it always bothers me when people make them too different and out of character. Also, I'm glad you're looking forward to hearing about their pasts. They each have their own story that will be revealed at some point, and yes it will cause drama! I feel all giddy just thinking about it! ;)****

****LXie: Yup I killed them, and I feel no regrets (Insert evil face here). And Meowth isn't in the story for the very simple fact that in the story there is only one partner Pokemon with one person, and I felt that Meowth would just be out of place in their group without a trainer. But who knows, I may throw him in there eventually.****

****And once again thanks to all who read this story, whether you review, favorite, follow, or none of the above, just the fact that you're reading makes me happy. So kudos to all of you :D****


	6. Chapter 6

May stared out into the open sea as the ship bobbed along the surface. She looked over to find Gary puking over the edge, with Leaf laughing next to him. They had been traveling for a few hours and he hadn't taken too well to the constant movement of the sea. How he managed to ride Arcanine without a problem was beyond her. Riding the Pokemon was much more bumpy in her opinion. Thinking of the Pokemon, none of them were fairing too well. Other than Ivysaur, they were all afraid of water, and being surrounded by nothing but water seemed to be stressing them out. Flygon chose to fly over the ship, where at least he was further from the water than the others. Meanwhile, Blaziken stood at the top of the mast as far up as he could manage while Arcanine was curled up inside with Drew. The only ones who really seemed to be enjoying the ocean were May and Ivysaur, who was currently running from one end of the ship to the other as if he needed to see as much of the ocean as he could. May looked up at Peeko flying over the ship. The little Wingull seemed so determined to lead them to the Johto region. It was after all, her partner's last wish that the group followed through with their mission.

May let out a sigh as she looked back to the water. It just dawned on her that this was her first time leaving Hoenn, and it was only because of the war. She found herself hating The Oppression even more. She had always dreamed of traveling, just not in this way. It was always her and her little brother's dream to travel together to other regions. She just hoped he was okay, wherever he was.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Leaf inquired as she suddenly appeared next to her friend, causing her to jump.

"Nothing important. How's Gary?" May replied as she looked over to said boy, just in time to see him, once again, throwing up.

"Being a wimp as usual. Like seriously, what grown boy gets THAT seasick? It's pathetic." Leaf stated as she sat herself on the railing May was leaning against.

"Aw go easy on the kid," Just as the words left May's mouth, the ship lurched forward causing Leaf to lose her balance and fall over the rail.

She let out a shriek as May grabbed her wrist before she fell into the water.

"Pull me up! Pull me up!" Leaf shouted as her friend struggled to pull her back over the edge.

Luckily Drew came running out and helped drag the brunette back on board.

"What the heck was that?" Gary asked as he clutched the mast for dear life. As if being in the middle of the ocean wasn't stressful enough.

"I don't know, we must have hit something," Drew stated as he looked over the side of the ship.

"In the middle of the ocean?" Leaf questioned skeptically as she too looked over the edge.

"Are you sure it wasn't just you?" May mocked.

Drew shot her a glare as he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. It moved so quick he wasn't sure if he imagined it, but it looked like there was a giant shadow just below the ship.

"Did you see that?" He asked the two girls standing next to him.

"I think so, what was that?" May said as the ship lurched forward once again causing all three teens to fall to the floor.

Gary let out a panicked scream as his grip tightened on the mast. Noticing his partner's distress, Arcanine came to sit next to him.

"There's something big below us!" Drew shouted as he ran to the other side of the ship in hopes of spotting whatever it was.

"We're going to die!" Gary wallowed. "The ship is going to sink, and we're going to drown, and we're going to die a watery death!"

"Would you shut up! We're not going to die, you're just over... reacting..." As Leaf said this, what appeared to be a large tentacle came up out of the water and hovered over the ship.

"What the," Drew managed to mutter with a look of shock, just as the tentacle slammed down on the ship, wrapping around it.

May and Leaf screamed as they jumped out of the way. Thinking quickly, Arcanine scooped up Gary and moved as the mast was destroyed. Blaziken jumped down as it crashed into the ocean. The group looked on in horror as an extremely large Tentacruel suddenly appeared from within the water.

"I've never seen a Pokemon so big," May stated with wide eyes.

"I knew there was a reason to fear the ocean!" Gary cried out as the monster Pokemon stared them down.

"What does is want?" Leaf asked as she now clung to Gary. The two huddled together as the monster let out a cry.

"I think we're in its territory," Drew stated.

"Well lets get OUT of its territory!" Gary shouted to his friend.

"Sure, let me just tell it to kindly let go of us first!' Drew retorted back sarcastically.

The Tentacruel let out another loud cry as its other tentacles attacked the ship. Not wasting time, Drew readied his sword. As soon as a tentacle came toward him, he cut it in half. The Tentacruel let out a painful roar as it pulled the tentacle back and sent another two toward Drew. He slashed at the one in front of him, while Flygon used dragon tail to knock away the second.

Blaziken and Arcanine shot flames at any tentacles that were getting to close to their trainers, while Leaf tried to help Gary stand, despite his weak sea legs. While this was happening, Ivysaur was fighting off a tentacle with his vines when another tentacle grabbed him from behind and lifted him into the air. Before he could get pulled into the ocean, May shot an arrow into the tentacle and he was released. In a rage, the Tentacruel grabbed May by her ankle. She screamed as the large Pokemon pulled, causing her to fall to the ground as she was dragged to the edge. As soon as he heard her scream Drew searched around for May, to find her being pulled toward the edge of the ship.

"Drew!" May cried out as she was being pulled, her hand stretched out toward the green haired boy. Drew ran toward her as she was pulled over the edge of the boat and into the water with one last scream.

"May!" He called after her as he dived into the water.

May was in a panic as she trashed around under the water in some attempt to break free from the tentacle that was now wrapped around her whole body. The more she struggled, the tighter the grip got. She finally saw a familiar green head as Drew swam to her side and attempted to pull the tentacle off of her. She could see the look of pure determination in his eyes as his jaw clenched in frustration. He then took one of the arrows that was still in May's quiver and drove it into the tentacle. However, instead of releasing her, the grip tightened and she tried to scream from the pain, but all that came out was a stream of bubbles. She looked back to Drew in desperation. She was just about out of air, and she could tell he wasn't going to last much longer either. He stared into her eyes as he seemed to have come to the same conclusion, there was no way out. Despite the situation, Drew had no intention of leaving her side as he once again went back to trying to pull the tentacle off of her. May wanted to tell him to stop, to save himself before he drowned too. She couldn't figure out why he was so determined to try and save her when he knew she was doomed. May clenched her eyes closed as she tried to fight her urge to breathe, knowing she'd suck in nothing but water. Drew was desperate to free her, and he started slamming his fist on the Pokemon as he saw May clench her eyes shut.

Just then, he spotted something behind her. Drew's eyes widened as a small blue Pokemon swam over to the large Tentacruel, and touched it with its small arm. The giant squid Pokemon instantly calmed, and released it's grip on May. In an instant Drew grabbed the girl and pulled her up to the surface where they both gasped for much needed breath.

"What... happened...?" May managed to gasp out between breaths.

Drew didn't answer her as he watched the Tentacruel disappear back into the depths of the ocean. The small Pokemon that saved them then appeared above the surface as it looked them over to make sure they were okay.

"Mana?" It questioned May as it floated in front of her, using the antennae on its head to inspect her.

The two teens stared at the Pokemon in awe, neither knowing just what to say. How in the world did such a tiny Pokemon stop that monster, just by touching it?

"I-I'm fine, thanks," She managed to tell it. It let out a small cry of happiness, and after circling them a few times, the Pokemon disappeared beneath the water.

Not wanting to risk being in the water any longer, Drew lead May back to the ship where Gary and Leaf pulled them up. The two teens sat on the deck as they caught their breath.

"Are you okay?" Drew asked her as Leaf handed them towels to dry off.

"I think so," She said as she looked herself over. Other than some bad bruising, she'd be fine. "But why did you do that?"

Drew gave her a curious stare as if he had no idea what she was talking about.

"I was done for, and you stayed! You could have drowned too! Why didn't you just leave me?" She explained.

He stared into her bright sapphire eyes as he thought about it. She was right of course. He had no intentions of leaving her, even if it meant he drowned trying to save her. Why was he so desperate to save her? It wasn't as if they were the best friends, heck they didn't even get along most of the time. But as he stared into her eyes he knew, May was important to him, in more ways than he even understood.

"I don't know," Was his simple response.

"That's just how Drew is. He would have done it for anyone." Gary said as he gave his best friend a pat on the back.

"That's not true. If it were you, I would've let you drown," Drew told him as he stood up to get the ship moving once again.

May and Leaf managed a laugh as Gary sulked. As the ship started forward once again, Drew couldn't get his mind off of the Pokemon that saved them. How had it managed to calm that Tentacruel so easily? More importantly, why did it save them in the first place? How did it know? He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't notice May as she walked up behind him.

"I didn't get to say thank you," May said, causing him to break out of his thoughts.

Drew turned around to find her wrapped in a blanket with water from her hair still dripping onto her face.

"It's like Gary said, I would have done it for anyone. You don't have to thank me." He stated as he turned back around.

Without a word she wrapped her arms around his back.

"But still. Thank you." She whispered behind him.

He looked down at the small hands wrapped around him and felt a small heat reach his face. _"What the heck is wrong with me?" _He asked himself.

"No problem," He muttered as she let go.

"But what was that Pokemon that saved us?" She questioned as she stepped back.

"I don't know," he said quietly. "I've never seen any like it before."

"It was almost like it KNEW to come rescue us." She mused.

Drew didn't bother replying as he steered the ship. There was no point in questioning the Pokemon. All that mattered was they were alive, and now that they were on the move again, it was only a matter of time before they reached the Johto region, and found Red.

* * *

><p>After a few more hours, May finally spotted land.<p>

"There it is!" She cried out in joy as Peeko landed on her shoulder. The small bird did an excellent job of leading them where they needed to go, and must have been exhausted.

"Finally!" Gary moaned. He was still clinging to the ship's rail, after being sick for the entire journey, he looked forward to once again being on land.

"Where are we going to dock?" Leaf asked Drew as he steered the boat.

"There's a non-populated area below the mountain that should be a safe place to dock." He replied.

True to his word, the boat docked in a deserted area, and one by one the group exited the ship. Gary immediately sat in a patch of grass as his Arcanine tried to soothe him.

"The water must be pretty deep if we were able to dock right along the shore." Leaf mused.

Drew nodded his head in agreement as he looked around his surroundings. Everything seemed peaceful, the trees swayed in the wind as a group of Sentret jumped along the branches. There didn't seem to be any sign of human life nearby. He sat down against a tree to rest, since the group needed a little time to get their land legs back, well mostly Gary, who was still moaning on the ground. He eyed May wearily as she strayed from the group and wandered toward the forest. Didn't she know that wandering around alone was dangerous? He relaxed slightly when he saw Blaziken follow after her, but there was still a sense of unease. He couldn't seem to get the image of her drowning out of his head. It was like he could only see her as fragile now, which he knew was not the case. May could take care of herself, but why did he keep feeling that he should look out for her?

May could feel Drew watching her closely as she walked along the tree line. She chose to ignore him as she found what she was looking for. A few feet away was a large tree filled with oran berries. She smiled to herself as she skipped over to it. This was exactly what they needed, some food that would give them plenty of energy for their journey. She took the bandanna from her head and went to work filling it with berries. She took one and held it up to Peeko on her shoulder.

"Eat this, it will give your energy back." She told her.

The small bird chirped as she happily ate the berry. It's effects were quick as the Pokemon flew circles around May's head. May giggled as she gathered up her berries. She looked over to Blaziken to find that, he too, had collected a good amount of berries to carry to the group. They returned to their friends and dropped the berries in the grass.

"Eat up!" She exclaimed with a bright smile.

The others happily obliged and dug in.

"Thanks May," Gary said as he stuffed his face. After eating one berry, he seemed to be feeling better, and went back to his usual self. After eating their fill, the group filled up their bags with berries and headed out.

"I didn't realize how close we were to the mountain," Leaf stated as she looked up at the large mountain in front of them.

"I tried to get us as close as I could," Drew said as the rest of the group followed her gaze.

Somewhere on top of that mountain was Red. The problem was, it was a really big mountain, and he could be anywhere on it, if he was even still there at all. But, of course they had to try anyways. The fate of the world was in their hands. However, as soon as they reached the foot of the mountain, a large torrent of water was shot in front of them, blocking their path. The group looked up to find a red headed teen standing in their way, a large Feraligatr standing next to him.

"Stop right there Oppression scum," He said in a harsh voice.

The group stared at the boy in shock. Them? Oppression? Taking a better look at the red head, they saw an Arceus, the symbol of the Defiance, sewn onto his dark shirt.

"We're not part of the Oppression!" Leaf told him.

"Prove it," He bit back.

They all paused as they looked back and forth to each other. How were they supposed to prove it? They weren't official members of the Defiance, so they had no way to show that they were with them.

"We're from Black Thorn Academy, in the Kanto region," May said as they all showed off the school's crest sewn onto their bags.

"Why would a group of kids from an academy in the Kanto region be here?" He asked skeptically.

They all once again looked to each other. They didn't know if this boy really WAS from the Defiance. Could they really tell him their mission? The group stayed silent as the boy glared at them.

"That's what I thought. Feraligatr." He said as he motioned for his Pokemon to attack.

The group instantly braced themselves, their Pokemon ready to fight back. The powerful water type launched another hydro pump at them, which they managed to avoid. Blaziken, Arcanine, and Flygon all shot flamethrower attacks at the opposing Pokemon, but it blocked the attacks with protect. The strange boy was ready to order another attack, when something stopped him.

"For goodness sake. What have I told you about being so rash?" A feminine voice said as a small girl emerged from within the forest with a Meganium next to her. She wore a large white rounded hat with a red ribbon on the side, and brown pigtails sticking out on the sides. She had a red shirt under a pair of overalls with red shoes to match. The symbol of the Defiance was also sewn onto her shirt.

"Honestly, attacking a group of scared kids in the forest?" She scolded the red head.

"They're not scared kids. They're armed, and are trespassing." He argued.

"Please, I'm sure they don't even know there is a base here," She said as she rolled her eyes at him.

"There's a base out here?" May repeated.

"You're standing on it," The girl said with a smile.

The four teens looked down at their feet in shock. There was a base under ground? That would certainly be a very clever place to hide it.

"Come on, let's get you inside and you can tell us all about what's happened." She said as she started walking toward a pile of boulders. Her Meganium pushed one aside to reveal a path that led under ground.

The group looked to each other, and Drew nodded, indicating it was okay to follow. They followed the girl into the ground, with the grumpy red headed boy following behind them.

"Oh yeah, my name is Lyra." She said with a smile as the rock was moved back behind them, leaving them walking into darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>Wow, so work and school kind of kicked my butt this past month, so I'm really sorry that I took forever with this chapter. But as an apology, I should have the next chapter up some time this weekend. But once again, I'm really sorry that I took so long with this update.<br>**

**Thank you to boredlife and kaktus0-0 for your kind words! :)  
><strong>

**To Princess of Apocalypse: I wouldn't really say that Peeko is May's Pokemon, but more as like the whole group is looking out for her. But since May was right there when Briney died, it's safe to say that Peeko is probably more attached to her than the others.**

**To I'll Break Your Heart: Can I just say that I look forward to your reviews? I was in love with Calem when I was playing Y so I just HAD to include Calem/Serena, even if it was just for a second. I am also an N fan, I LOVE the guy, he was probably the best thing about the black and white series, so I agree, green haired guys are to die for (That may or may not be me hinting to the future of this story :P) Also, I read some of your stories, and I think they're really great, not really OC as far as I could tell :)**


	7. Chapter 7

After the group introduced them selves, they walked down the dark passage, keeping their guards up just in case these people weren't who they said they were. When they reached the end of the dark passage way, they found a single door. Lyra opened it to reveal what appeared to be an underground labyrinth. The halls were big enough to fit a Mamoswine, and there were many different holes leading in different directions. The walls had lanterns hanging from them that kept the base well lit. They received questioning glances as many different people walked by them.

"This way," Lyra said as she took a right turn down the enormous hall. The group followed her through a series of turns before they finally came to a large tent. They were then ushered inside, leaving their Pokemon waiting outside.

"Silver, maybe you should go find the base leader," Lyra said to the grumpy red head.

"And leave you alone with them? What if they attack you when your back is turned?" He replied with an non-trusting glare toward the four teens.

She replied with a glare of her own, and with a sigh, he left the tent.

"Sorry about him, he's got trust issues." Lyra said with a laugh.

"I don't blame him, I don't really trust you either," Drew stated bluntly, earning him an elbow in the ribs from May.

If Lyra was insulted by his comment, she didn't show it. Instead she gave him an understanding smile.

"I suppose that's fair, but if we wanted you dead or captured, then you already would be. If you want to leave, no one is stopping you." She told him and they stared into each other's eyes, as if they were having an unspoken conversation.

After a long pause Drew nodded his head, an indication they would stay and talk.

"So you're from Black Thorn Academy? I take it your school is no longer standing?" She questioned.

The group looked sullen as Leaf replied, "No, it's not."

"I'm sorry to hear about that. Then you are the only survivors?"

This time May replied with a shake of her head, "A group of our fellow students chose to stay behind and start up a resistance."

"We think there might still be more out there," Gary added.

"And what of the school's head master?" A different female voice asked as a blue haired woman entered the tent, followed by Silver. "What happened to Lance?"

The group wasn't sure how to reply as the woman stared at them, waiting for an answer.

"Everyone, this is our base leader, Clair. Clair, this is May, Drew, Gary, and Leaf." Lyra chimed in upon noticing her leader's lack of manners.

Clair remained silent as she waited for one of them to answer her question. May nodded to Drew, and indication for him to explain their situation.

"We don't know. The last we saw of Lance, he gave us this, and told us to come here." Drew said as he pulled the flute out of his backpack, and held it out to her.

Clair's eyes widened as she reached out and took the flute in her hands.

"The Azure Flute. So you had it all this time, did you cousin?" She murmured to herself as she looked it over.

She tore her eyes from the instrument to give the group a good once over. To her they didn't look like much.

"To think my cousin would trust a group of kids with something so important." She stated bluntly.

They couldn't help but feel a little insulted by her words. Kids? They were the top of their class. They fought hard to get all the way to the Johto region. They were more than just a group of kids.

"We may be kids, but that doesn't mean we should be underestimated. You have no idea what we've had to go through to get here." Leaf said raising her voice.

Clair smirked to herself at the girl's outburst. "You're right. Lance must really trust in your abilities if he sent you here. But now my question is, why DID he send you here?"

"To find Red," May answered, "Lance told us to bring it to Red. He said that Red would know what to do."

To say that this news was a shock to the three Defiance members, would be a major understatement.

"Red? Is Lance nuts?" Silver huffed. "We haven't seen that wacko in weeks."

"Silver!" Lyra scolded him.

"What? The dude's lost his mind. Secluded himself on top of a mountain instead of helping fight a war."

"Red is a good person! He's just a little lost right now!" Lyra argued.

"He's a lost cause," Silver retorted.

Clair cleared her throat to quiet the two as she glared at them. She then turned her attention back to the group of confused teens.

"Red lost someone very dear to him. We don't really know any of the details, but ever since he's secluded himself on top of Mt. Silver. Many have tried, but no one can get him to come down." She explained.

The group all looked to each other. So getting Red's help would be a bit of a challenge? It didn't matter. Lace gave them a job, and that meant they had to find Red.

"We have to find him," Drew voiced. He then told them all about everything they went through to get to the Johto region, not leaving out any details so they would understand the urgency. The Defiance was losing this war, and if Lance was right, Red was the only one that could turn things around.

Clair smiled at their determination. "Very well. Lance gave you this mission, and so it is your job to carry it out. But before you go, I insist you rest for a while. From what you said about that wound of yours, I wouldn't say you're quite ready to be climbing a mountain. Climbing Mt. Silver is no simple task." She said to Drew.

He didn't seem happy about her words, but she did have a point. They all nodded in agreement. A rest was exactly what they needed. They could even use the time to train for a while. With their little meeting over, Lyra lead them to their own small cave with mats to sleep on. After Lyra left them alone, the group sat together to talk.

"After hearing what they said about this Red guy, do you really think it's a good idea to seek him out?" Gary inquired.

"Lance sent us to find him for a reason." Drew answered.

"But maybe Lance didn't know that he turned into a hermit?" Leaf questioned.

"You heard what Clair said. Red lost someone close to him. I can't blame the guy for wanting to be alone for a while." May said.

"Well sure, but no sane person spends weeks by himself on a mountain," Gary added.

"He must have been really close to whoever he lost." Leaf mused.

"His reason for being on the mountain doesn't matter. We go find Red like Lance told us, and we'll see where it goes from there." Drew stated firmly.

"Yes sir Mr. Bossy," Gary mocked with a salute, earning him a knock in the head from Drew.

"On the bright side, it'll be nice to be able to sleep knowing that no one will try to kill us in our sleep." Leaf said with a laugh to herself.

"Or so you hope," Gary teased.

Leaf's eyes widened as she looked to May for reassurance.

"Relax. This is a Defiance base, we're safe." May assured her.

Despite this knowledge, they still felt uneasy and decided to take shifts keeping watch... just in case. Luckily no one tried to kill them while they slept.

The next day the group decided to explore the base, with the help of Lyra.

"That room over there is where we keep the weapons," She said as she gave them the grand tour. "And over there is the medical wing," She said as she pointed to her left.

"Where do you do your training?" Gary asked with a hint of anticipation.

After everything they've been through, they haven't had time to properly train. He was itching to get some sparing in, however, his sparring partner was a little out of shape.

"I'll show you!" Lyra said happily as she led them through the confusing halls to an extremely large cave.

Inside there were already many trainers sparring against each other and engaging in Pokemon battles. It was like a dream for May. Her eyes lit up as she took it all in. Her two favorite activities in one large area.

"Come on May, lets go work on your crappy swordsmanship!" Leaf giggled as she dragged her bandanna wearing friend behind her.

"Hey!" May yelled at her for the comment as she was pulled along, Blaziken and Ivysaur following close behind.

"I don't suppose you'll be doing much," Lyra said to Drew.

With an angry huff, the grass head sat down against the wall to watch, his Pokemon taking a seat next to him.

"How about a battle?" She asked as she turned her attention to the other teen boy.

Gary eagerly nodded as the two ran off with their Pokemon. Drew sighed angrily as he sat with nothing to do. He wasn't used to being so useless. He lifted his shirt a little to eye the wound that was still present on his abdomen. It was healing pretty well, Leaf's medicine made sure of that. However, he still wished it would heal quicker.

"Not used to just sitting around huh?" A voice questioned.

Drew jumped in surprise as he looked up to find the owner of the voice. He had on a backwards yellow cap and a red jacket.

"I'm Ethan," The boy said as he sat down next to Drew.

"Drew," He replied.

"I remember I had a pretty bad injury once. I couldn't do a thing for two weeks straight, it was torture." Ethan laughed.

Drew was ready to reply to the boy, but a group of teens ran over to them.

"Sir, we're ready for the next part of our training!" One of them said to him.

"Uh, take a break." He instructed casually and with a nod the group left.

"I take it you're a squad leader?" Drew questioned.

Ethan nodded sheepishly. "I'm pretty new at it actually. I'm not used to being responsible for others."

Whenever students graduate from the academies, they are sent to a base. When they get to the base, they are separated into squads of four and are assigned to a squad leader. Drew knew that despite the fact that Ethan looked like an awkward kid, he had to be an accomplished trainer. Only those who were seen as strong trainers and leaders were chosen to be squad leaders. This was because the squad leader is responsible for not only training them, but also keeping them alive. The squad leader directs them in missions and it's the squad leaders judgement that could mean life or death.

The two then sat in a comfortable silence as they watched the others train. Leaf was showing May some defense stances, and Drew frowned. If this whole thing hadn't happened, would he have been teaching her as her combat partner at the academy? Or would he have instead just used the time to mess with her. To him, all the bullying he used to do to May didn't quite seem fun anymore. In the world they were in now, he wasn't so sure fun even existed anymore. However, he did get a smile as he watched Lyra and her Meganium completely destroy Gary and Arcanine. Apparently, she was a squad leader too.

* * *

><p>After a few days of resting, Drew was deemed healthy enough, and they were ready to go. Clair had made sure they were well supplied for their trip. When they were ready, they stood at the foot of the mountain with Clair and Lyra.<p>

"I can't tell you of Red's exact location, but I can tell you that he'll be somewhere near the very top." Clair told them as she pointed to the peak of the mountain.

The group all gazed at the mountain in front of them. Climbing it would certainly take a lot of time and energy.

"Also, these are for you." Clair said as she motioned to Lyra.

The brunette pulled out a small box and held it up for her base leader. Clair then pulled out four necklaces, each with a strange crystal on the end.

"You were supposed to get these when you graduated, but..." Lyra started.

"They are special crystals that you use to hold your Pokemon." Clair explained.

This certainly peaked the four teen's interest. May could partly remember learning about them in school, but she didn't pay much attention to the boring lecture.

"How does it work?" Leaf asked. Unlike her friend, she payed attention during the lecture, and had been looking forward to getting her crystal.

"Lyra, why don't you show them?" Clair said.

With a nod, Lyra held up the crystal hanging on her neck. "Meganium, come on out!" She called, and with a flash of light, her partner Pokemon appeared in front of her.

"Oh wow! That's so cool!" Leaf exclaimed.

Lyra smiled at the girl's enthusiasm as she turned to her Pokemon and held up the crystal once again. "Now Meganium, return." With that, Meganium disappeared back into the crystal.

"It's a practical way to travel when you have large Pokemon, or Pokemon that can't travel all that well. Plus, it's like you always have your partner by your side. Give it a try," Lyra urged them.

May turned to Blaziken, standing next to her, and held up the crystal. Blaziken gave a nod of approval. "Return," As she said this, Blaziken was engulfed in a light and was pulled into the crystal. The others did the same with their own Pokemon.

"Is he comfortable in there?" May questioned as she stared at the crystal in her hand.

"Of course, he's perfectly fine in there." Clair assured her. "These are your proof that you are now official members of The Defiance. Wear them proudly."

With that, the four teens started up the mountain.

* * *

><p>While the first part of their journey didn't seem that difficult, the further they got up the mountain, the harder it became.<p>

"Drew, when are we going to take a break?" May whined for what seemed like the millionth time that day.

"Here we go," Gary muttered as he rolled his eyes.

The group had just taken a break a half hour ago, and she was already complaining.

"We just took a break," Drew sighed.

"That was ages ago. My feet are killing me." May complained.

"You're acting like a baby," Leaf told her friend.

"Well excuse me for wanting to save energy!" She exclaimed.

Drew could feel his patience wearing thin. At the rate she was going, it would take them ages to reach the top. With another sigh he looked up. It was starting to get dark, and they were about half way up the mountain. Taking a look at the group, they all looked tired. Not to mention it would only get colder as the sun went down. Looking around, he located a small entrance inside the mountain.

"I think we should make up camp for the night," He stated as he eyed the cave.

May let out a triumphant cry as the group made their way to the cave. After giving it an inspection, the group decided it would work as a place to stay for the night. They next morning they were at it again, and they soon found themselves trekking through snow. Before they knew it, they were walking through a blizzard.

"Is there seriously someone on top of this mountain? How could anyone survive up here?" Leaf cried out with her arms wrapped around her chest for warmth.

"She has a point. I can't even see anything in front of me," Gary added. He had Arcanine out walking next to the group in hopes that he would give off heat, and help block some of the cold wind.

"We have to keep searching, Red is up here," May assured them.

"What's that?" Leaf inquired as they spotted a figure up ahead.

It looked to be the outline of a person standing on the edge of a cliff, facing away from them. They stopped in their tracks as they stared at the figure. It had to be him, there was no one else crazy enough to be standing out in a blizzard.

"Hey!" Drew yelled out.

The person slowly turned around to look at them. He had a red and white hat over his dark messy hair that shaded his piercing crimson eyes. He wore a red and white shirt that was left open to reveal a tight black shirt underneath. He had a blank expression on his face, but it was still easy to see that he was very attractive.

"..." No words left his mouth as he stared at the group of teens before him. They had finally found who they were looking for.

* * *

><p><strong>So I realized that having their Pokemon out all the time is not going to work out, so with the help of the Lucario movie and the crystal that Lucario was locked up in, this idea came to light. I hope the Pokemon in crystals thing isn't too weird. It's sort of like having Pokeballs, but not. Not that it matters because it's in the story now and there's no changing it! Let me know what you think :P Also, finally Red is here! (Insert fangirl moment) I feel like I might have rushed them up that mountain simply because I couldn't wait for him to show up. <strong>

**To Princess of Apocalypse: No problem, sometimes I feel like I could be unclear with things in my story, so if that ever happens, feel free to ask me to clarify.**

**To I'll Break Your Heart: Thank you times a million! Just knowing that there are people who like the story, motivates me to keep writing it! Also, I know how you feel, time kicks my butt all the time! **


	8. Chapter 8

"Are you... Red?" May questioned the quiet man. Her arms were wrapped closely to her chest in some attempt to keep herself, as well as the small Wingull hidden in her jacket, warm.

He turned his eyes on the girl, but still failed to respond.

"Lance sent us here to find you," Leaf tried. However, just as he did with May, his only response was a glance in her direction.

"Look, we need your help. The Oppression took over the Hoenn region." Drew explained as he pulled out the flute Lance gave them. "Lance gave us this, and said to bring it to you. You're the only one that can stop this."

It wasn't too surprising that he once again chose not to respond.

"I think Silver was right when he called this guy a wacko." Gary muttered to Leaf.

Red's eyes instantly traveled to Gary, only to widen as soon as he saw him. The group was surprised by his sudden display of actual emotion, before it suddenly disappeared almost as quick as it came.

"I can't help you," He finally spoke up.

"What? Why?" Leaf exclaimed.

"I am no longer part of The Defiance," He said in a plain manner.

"We didn't come all this way just for you to tell us that you're a pathetic quitter!" Gary shouted, earning him an elbow to the ribs from Leaf.

"What he meant to say, was that we really need your help! If you could just tell us what the flute is for? You don't even have to leave here," Leaf tried again.

"I'm sorry," Red replied in his monotone voice.

The group was shocked. Was he really not going to help them? If he didn't want to do it himself, all he had to do was tell them what to do with the flute. Why was he refusing? Did he want to lose the war? Or maybe Silver was right? Maybe he really did lose his mind.

"You're sorry?" Drew questioned, anger apparent in his voice.

The other three teens looked to him in surprise. It wasn't often their friend lost his cool, but it was apparent that Drew was beyond furious. His fists were shaking at his side and his jaw was clenched tight. His angry glare sent chills down May's spine. She had never seen Drew this scary.

"Do you have any idea what we had to go through to get here? We watched our home burn to the ground, we watched as our classmates were taken away to God knows where. We watched our friends DIE and we couldn't do anything about it! And you have the nerve to say you're sorry? That is the LAST thing I want to hear from a coward like you!" He yelled out.

If they didn't have Red's attention, they certainly had it now. No one had raised their voice at him like that in a very long time. He was pretty sure these kids had no idea who he was, and it was this fact that made him slightly amused. The green haired boy in front of him was fuming, and Red could tell that the group had clearly been through a lot just to track him down. Of course he knew that if these kids had the flute, then that meant that Lance was desperate. The Defiance was losing the war. But he had left for a reason, he belonged in solitude. Could he really go back after what he did?

Drew couldn't stand watching the man stare at them with that blank expression on his face. Whether the guy was a total nutcase or not, he had to go back with them. In an instant he unsheathed his sword and held it out toward the silent stranger.

"I don't care how crazy you are. You're coming with us off this mountain, even if I have to drag you down myself." He threatened.

"What are you doing? You're in no condition to be fighting anyone!" May yelled at him as she grabbed his arm to try to get him to lower his sword.

"Shut up!" He shouted back at her as he shoved her away, causing her to fall into the snow.

Leaf was by her side in an instant. "Are you out of your mind?" She screeched at him.

"What's your name?" Red asked the young green haired teen.

"Drew. Drew Hayden." He replied curtly.

"Well Drew, perhaps you should listen to your friend. I'm afraid you stand no chance against me." Red told him bluntly.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Drew stated with confidence.

A slight smirk made its way onto Red's face. It had been a long time since someone challenged him so openly. It brought back some fond memories. He pulled out his own sword and pointed it at Drew.

"Alright, if you want a match so badly, I'll give you one. But when I win, you leave, and don't come back." He said in a dark voice.

Drew didn't bother with a reply as he charged toward him, his sword pointed toward the dark haired man. Red parried away the attack and swung his own sword at Drew's feet. The green haired teen hopped over the attack and once again jabbed his sword forward. Red moved his head to the side just in time to avoid being impaled. He was surprised at just how serious this kid was. He swiped his sword forward and Drew managed to duck under it, but he left himself opened and received a kick to the face.

May flinched as she saw Drew take the hit and fall back into the snow. She couldn't believe he was stupid enough to even take on the stranger when he still hadn't fully recovered from his injury. Obviously Red had the upper hand, but it didn't look like Drew planned on giving up.

Drew managed to stand back up and spit into the snow, turning it red. He was going to have a nasty bruise on his face later. In a swift motion he swung his sword, only for Red to easily block it. Drew was frustrated that May was right. He didn't have the engery or the strength to fight as well as he usually did. Red then pushed against the teen's sword causing him to stumble back. Red then took this opportunity to launch into a flurry of relentless attacks. His movements were so swift and powerful, Drew was having a hard time defending. With one powerful blow from Red, Drew lost his balance and fell to the ground once again. His eyes widened as Red raised his sword. However, before he could bring it down, a small brunette stood in his way.

Red froze as May stood protectively in front of Drew, an angry glare present on her features.

"I think you've made your point." She stated firmly.

He sheathed his sword as he stared at the girl standing before him. She certainly had guts to throw herself in front of his attack like that. He didn't really have any intention of actually executing the attack, he was merely showing the kid that the match was over. But if he had, he wasn't sure if he would've been able to stop in time.

"I have, now leave." He said a little colder than he intended. But his rude tone didn't seem to affect her.

"Sure, we'll leave. We'll go back to reality. Back to the world that is falling apart, while you stay isolated in the mountains and hide. You act tough, you think you're better than us. Well news flash, you're not. You're a coward! So while you stay up here and pout like a child, we're going to go risk our lives to defend the pathetic cowards like you!" May shouted at him.

She had had enough of this. She was furious with the man standing before her. Though unlike Drew, she wouldn't attack him. She knew better than that. Yelling at him was just about the best she could do. Red was getting annoyed of these kids at this point. Who were they to call him a coward? He had been through more than any of them. They didn't know what it was like to be real members of the Defiance, to be so close to death so often. To lose the people closest to them. How could they possibly understand.

"You think we don't get it?" May basically read his mind.

"..." He didn't respond as he eyed her with annoyance.

"Well we do. I heard you lost someone close to you." She said this in a calmer voice than before. "You're not the only one who's lost someone. We've ALL lost someone. We're in a war! Everyone loses someone! But that doesn't give you an excuse to isolate yourself and ignore the people that need you! You're our last chance! So get over it and do something!" Her words finally got a reaction.

"You think you know what it's like? You don't know anything about me!" Now it was Red who was losing his cool. Memories of that fateful day were flooding through his mind, and he could feel himself losing it. He stepped forward and gripped her shirt, forcing her to look him in the eye. "I didn't just lose him! I had to watch him die! He died right in front of me! And the worst part was, it was MY fault! My best friend died because of ME! Don't even think for a second that you know how I feel!"

Aside from the wind blowing around them, all was silent as the two stared intently at each other. The other three teens were frozen on the spot as they watched the scene unfold before them. Red was trying to regain his cool as May lifted her hand and placed it over his that was still gripping onto her shirt. The look on her face was filled with compassion, and he felt himself calming down just by looking into her sapphire eyes. At some point, the wind had died down, and the snow was softly falling around them.

"Is this what he would want?" She asked him quietly.

Red's eyes widened from the question.

"Your best friend. How would he feel if he knew what you were doing? What would he say?" She probed further. His grip on her shirt was starting to loosen.

"I didn't know him, but I would think he would want you to keep fighting. Just because you couldn't save him, doesn't mean you can't save countless others." She reasoned.

Much to her relief, Red released her shirt as he looked up at the snow falling from the sky. She was right of course. Just what the hell had he been doing all this time? How many people died because he was hiding up in the mountain, too afraid to face those that he failed. He looked back to the girl standing before him. How was it that of all people, this girl was the one that finally made him realize just how stupid he had been. He didn't even know her name, and yet she managed to get through to him. A small smile made its way onto his face, so small that May almost missed it.

"Thank you," He told her. With that, he turned away from them and started down the mountain. The group remained frozen as they watched him in confusion. After walking a few feet, he paused and turned around to look at them. "Coming?" He questioned.

Surprised by his actions, May helped Drew up, and with that they all ran after the mysterious man in the hat.

"How did you do that?" Gary whispered over to May as they walked.

"I just said what came to heart," She replied as she took off her bandanna. She bent down and filled it with snow before holding it up to Drew's face, where a bruise was starting to form.

"Ow," he muttered as she put pressure on the sore spot. He glared at her for her annoying motherly actions, but flinched when she returned the glare and pushed the bandanna onto his face harder. He grumpily snatched the ice filled cloth from her and held it up to his face. His pride was hurting from how quickly he lost. Red wasn't just any guy, he was incredibly skilled, and that bothered Drew. He had no idea who this guy really was.

"May's always had a way with words," Leaf told Gary as they walked behind Red. The mysterious man basically ignored them as he lead them down the mountain.

"Or a way with recklessness." Drew corrected as his thoughts drifted back to her standing in front of him. What was she thinking doing something so reckless? He didn't think that Red was actually going to deliver a finishing blow, at least he hoped, but it was still stupid of her to jump in like that. He didn't need her to save him, it was his job to save her. Yet SHE was the one that got Red to listen to reason, and SHE was the one that was taking care of his injury. However, he wasn't upset with May, he was upset with himself.

"Reckless or not, I got him to listen." May said with a shrug.

"It's a good thing you did. Now we can finally get off of this freezing mountain." Leaf exclaimed.

"Agreed!" May happily chirped along with Peeko who finally poked her head out of May's jacket.

* * *

><p>Half way down it started to get dark, so the group stopped at the same small cave they rested in on the way up. Gary and Leaf were setting up a fire as the others got settled in.<p>

"I never got your names," Red said as he turned to May.

She blinked at him for a second before answering, "I'm May."

"May? That's very fitting." He stated, causing her to smile while a small shade of pink made its way onto her face. Drew glared at the two from the opening of the cave. He couldn't quite put his finger on why, but after watching May's reaction, his dislike for the man was growing.

"And you?" He asked as he turned to Leaf.

"I'm Leaf, and this is Gary." Leaf said as she motioned to herself and then to the boy standing next to her.

Red nodded to them in acknowledgement before taking off his hat and running his hand through his hair. It was then that they finally got a good look at his features, and for May and Leaf, it was like love at first sight. The attraction only increased when he took off his jacket to reveal a black skin tight shirt underneath, showing off his well defined muscles. The two stared at him in awe, a tint of pink evident on their cheeks.

"I had no idea he was hiding THAT," Leaf whispered to her best friend. The two girls giggled as Red had his back turned.

Now Gary joined Drew as the two glared.

"I don't think he's so great," Gary muttered with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Hn," Drew agreed as he copied his friend's actions.

The next morning, the group finally made it back down the mountain, and back to the hidden base. As soon as they were inside, they were greeted by Lyra. She was excited to see them back, and was extremely shocked to see who they brought with them. No one at the base actually thought they'd be able to bring him back, yet there he was. It had been some time since she'd last seen Red, but he certainly hadn't changed much. He looked exactly the same as the day he disappeared, the look of loneliness was still apparent on his features.

"Red! It's so good to see you!" She cried out as she gave the man a bear hug.

Red attempted to return the gesture, but found it hard to move his arms with her iron grip holding them down.

"Uh, you too." He said awkwardly over her shoulder.

It was then that Silver made an appearance, irritation evident on his features.

"So you finally managed to work up the guts to get off that mountain?" He said as more of a statement than a question.

Red managed to peel himself away from Lyra as he turned to look at Silver. A smile made it's way onto his face, that held a very scary and intimidating aura.

"It looks like it. Good thing too, Lyra really missed me." He said with a wicked smirk as he put his arm over the girl's shoulder.

Silver's eye twitched ever so slightly, but only Red managed to catch it. "Why would she miss you when I'm around?" He said as he grabbed Lyra's wrist and pulled her over to him. Red's smirk only grew as Lyra looked back and forth between the two in confusion.

"There is WAY too much testosterone in here," Clair said as she joined the group. The tension in the air seemed to lift with her presence. "It's good to see you again," She said as she shook hands with Red. He merely nodded his head in response.

Silver huffed as he walked away, dragging a still confused Lyra behind him. "I guess I'll talk to you guys later!" She called out to them as she was pulled away.

"They're so cute together," Leaf mused.

Clair sighed as she eyed the man before her. "Honestly, you just got back and you're already picking fights with him?"

"What did I do?" Red asked playing innocent as he buried his hands in his pockets.

With a roll of her eyes she motioned for him to follow her. "I think I'll have a talk with Red while you kids rest up."

The teens didn't argue as they watched the two walk down the hall to Clair's tent. As soon as they were inside Clair sat behind her desk leaving Red standing by the entrance. Red was tense as he stood waiting for Clair to say something. He was expecting her to scold him, or at least say SOMETHING about his time on Mt. Silver, but she remained silent. Now he knew how other people felt when he did that to them.

"So you're back in the fight then?" She finally questioned.

He sighed as he stared intently at the Arceus banner hanging on the wall behind her desk. Was he really ready to go back in? Of course he didn't figure he had much of a choice, they needed him. His gaze moved back to Clair as he nodded his head.

"Good, so then when it comes to the flute, I can trust you with it?"

"Of course, I know what has to be done." He confirmed.

"Excellent, then I'm leaving it in your hands Squad Leader." She said with a smirk.

He blinked at her for a minute as what she said registered in his mind.

"Oh no." He stated as he narrowed his eyes. "I am NOT taking those kids with me."

Her smirk only grew bigger. "Lance chose them for this mission. Besides, you can't do it yourself, and we have no one else to go with you." He thought about arguing, but he knew there was no arguing with Clair. Satisfied with his silence, she sent him on his way.

He sighed again as he left the tent in search of the four teens that got him off of the mountain. What was Clair thinking putting him in charge of them? They never even officially graduated from an academy. What use could they possibly be? The idea of babysitting them only put him in a worse mood. Then again, they had managed to escape quite a few incidents on their way from the Hoenn region. He wasn't sure if they actually had incredible skill, or if they were just lucky.

When he finally found them, he wasn't exactly happy about his new squad. There was a Wingull squawking while flying circles around the room, while May and Drew were arguing about the giant bandage the brunette girl was trying to put on the grass head's face. Leaf's Ivysaur had his vines wrapped around Gary, whose face was turning blue, as Leaf muttered something about him being a pervert. Red let out another sigh as he stared at his squad. They definitely just got lucky.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, I loved writing that scene on the mountain. Though I'm not really sure how to write Red, since I can only picture him as the quiet guy on top of Mt. Silver. I wanted to try and keep him all mysterious and cool, but I felt that he needed to show some real emotion in order to realize he needed to get his butt off of that mountain. So we'll see where his character goes from here. So any guesses to who his best friend was?<strong>

**To LXie: You know I had that little part in the cave already written up when I read your review, and then I had to laugh to myself. But lets be honest, what girl wouldn't fall for his amazingness? Plus Drew and Gary have jealousy issues.**

**To I'll Break Your Heart: Haha like I said, I'm throwing in characters from all the universes. Look forward to seeing all sorts of other random Pokemon people! I agree, with the seriousness of the manga and game characters, but in a way it makes them harder to write for me. I have to try to figure out their personalities, but so far I think they're pretty decent, well except Red, not sure I like how I'm writing Red... Well now I feel like I should know what OTP means (please enlighten me), but you're welcome for the Silver/Lyra!**

**Once again, thanks to everyone that reads this story! Feel free to leave a review with thoughts or questions, I usually respond (in case you haven't noticed :P).**


	9. Chapter 9

Red stared intently at the four teens (plus a Wingull perched on Leaf's hat) sitting around him. He wasn't quite sure how they were going to react when they found out they were being put into a squad with him as their leader. While he was sure May and Leaf didn't mind his presence, Drew and Gary hadn't stopped giving him dirty looks since they met. He noticed right away the stares the two girls gave him. It wasn't exactly something new to him, and of course he had no ill intentions toward either girl. But the two boys seemed incredibly unhappy about the special attention he was getting from them.

"So there's a reason I brought all of you together," Clair finally spoke as she eyed the five people sitting in front of her.

Drew had a bad feeling that he knew where this was going.

"Does it have to do with the flute?" May inquired.

"No, we'll discuss that later, there's something else that we need to take care of first." Clair said as she looked over to Red. "As you know, when you graduate and join the Defiance, you're placed in a squad."

Drew definitely knew where this was going now, and judging by the look on Gary's face, he knew it too.

"We're being put in a squad? Are all of us going to be on the same squad? That would be so great! I think we make a really good team. We fight together so well! I mean look how far we came with all four of us working together!" Leaf babbled, earning her a glare from Clair to be quiet.

"Yes, since you four are already used to working together, you'll all be a part of the same squad." She confirmed.

May and Leaf squealed with delight as they happily hugged each other. It was always their dream to some day be put on the same squad. Of course being with Gary and Drew wasn't exactly a part of their dream, they were still happy none the less. While the two boys felt relieved that they would still be around the girls, they felt a sense of dread at what was about to be announced next.

"So with your squad you'll need a squad leader, and I've already decided who that is." She said as she motioned to Red.

The girls turned to the man sitting next to them. So Red was going to be their squad leader? May wasn't too surprised. She figured there was a reason that he was sitting with them. Their mission was the flute, and he was the one that knew all about it. Not to mention he had the skills to be a squad leader, with how easily he managed to beat Drew. Leaf looked beyond happy with the news, at least her squad leader would be a good looking guy.

"Is he even qualified to be a squad leader?" Gary asked skeptically.

Clair turned to the unhappy brunette. "If you're unsure of his skills feel free to challenge him, although I hear Drew already experienced it." She replied.

Drew's cheeks turned pink from embarrassment as he huffed and turned his head to hide the large bruise on his face. Gary instantly quieted.

"I'll leave you to it then," She said to Red as she left the group alone.

They all sat in an awkward silence as the four teens stared at the man. He awkwardly scratched the back of his head as he thought about what to say. He tried his best to remember what it was like when he was introduced to his own squad leader so many years ago. He decided to just copy what his squad leader did, after all, it seemed to work out well back then.

"So how about we all introduce ourselves so we can get to know each other? It's something all squads do when they start out." He started.

"We already know each other," Drew stated impatiently.

Red frowned as he realized the green haired teen was right. Of course they all knew each other. He was still going with it, if not for them, than for his own sake. "Well I'm sure you know each other pretty well. I, however, don't know anything about you other than your names." Red informed him.

"So what exactly are we supposed to say?" Leaf asked, fully on board with the idea. Gary rolled his eyes at her enthusiasm.

Red crossed his arms as he thought.

"Okay, for now you'll say your name, where you're from, something you like, and your best skill. This way I can learn something about you, and figure out how our training will go." He finally said. "So who wants to go first?" They all sat quietly.

"Maybe you should start?" May suggested.

"Alright. I'm Red, from the Kanto region. I like a lot of things and I have a lot of good skills." He said quickly.

The group all stared at him in silence. All he really told them was where he was from. While May and Leaf thought his vague answers made him more alluring, Drew and Gary were just growing more annoyed. Especially as they saw the two girls gawking over the man.

_"Well if he's not going to take this seriously, than neither am I." _Drew thought to himself.

"I guess I'll go next. I'm Drew, but you already knew that. I don't really come from anywhere in particular. I like messing with girl's wearing bandannas, and naturally I'm skilled at everything that May isn't." The grass head said with a smirk as he did his signature hair flip.

May's eye twitched from anger. What did he just say?

"So then you're obviously the most skilled at being an egotistical jerk!" May shouted at him.

"Well I'm definitely NOT the most skilled at being a loud mouth," He retorted as he covered his ear from her shouting.

"What did you say grass head?" She questioned as she stood up to glare at him from above.

"I said you have a big mouth!" He told her as he too stood up as if he had something to prove by towering over her small form.

"Okay time out," Red said as he moved himself in between them and pushed them apart by their shoulders. Both teens stuck their tongues at each other. "What are you five?" Red scolded as he sat them down on opposite sides of Leaf and Gary.

"He/She started it," They said in unison with a huff and a glare to each other. Red eyed the two wearily as they glared. He couldn't help but wonder if they always acted that way.

"May, your turn." Red said with a sigh as he massaged the bridge of his nose.

"Fine. I'm May, and I'm from Petalburg City. I like battling with my Blaziken, and I'm best at archery. At least I can answer like a mature person." She said with a glare at Drew.

"Easy for you to say because that's your only skill." Drew stated with a smirk.

May's glare intensified and she was ready to respond, but was interrupted by Red. "To avoid further risk of a headache, Gary, please go."

A sly smirk made it's way onto Gary's face, giving Red a bad feeling. "I'm Gary, from Pallet Town in the Kanto Region. My best skills involve attracting the opposite sex, and the thing is like most is Leaf." He stated smoothly.

No one really seemed to know how to respond as Leaf's face turned red. "Pervert!" She cried out as she smacked him in the head.

Leaf didn't need Red to tell her it was her turn. She was quick to take the attention off of Gary's blunt statement. "I'm Leaf, also from Pallet Town. My best skills are herbs and medicines, and I like a lot of things. But I can say there is one thing in particular I DON'T like." She said the last part as she gave Gary a pointed look.

"Not yet," He told her with a smirk.

"Not EVER!" She replied.

"Okay, we're done here. I think I've seen all I need to." Red said as he stood up to leave, his hands stuffed in his pockets. These kids were definitely going to be the end of him. "Tomorrow we'll start training."

"Training? What about the flute? Isn't that important?" May asked.

Red paused as he turned around to give them all a stern gaze. "Let's get one thing straight here." He said in an intense voice. "I didn't want a squad, and honestly I don't think any of you have what it takes to be a part of this mission. You're inexperienced, untrained, immature, and you don't know how to work in a team. Unfortunately I'm stuck with you, so I'm going to train you until you can meet my expectations. Until that day comes, you're not leaving this base."

All four teens glared at his words. Who did he think he was to say that to them? He hadn't even seen what they were capable of. Sure they bickered among each other, but that didn't make them a bad squad... did it?

"That was harsh," Leaf whispered as Red left the room.

"Nice work you two. Now he hates us." May said with a dirty look toward the two males in their group.

"Who cares? The guy's a stuck up jerk." Drew said

"Sounds like someone else I know," Leaf mocked as she playfully elbowed Drew in the ribs.

She quickly backed away as he glared at her.

"Look it's not a big deal. He said once we've proved ourselves he'll tell us about the flute right?" Gary said getting their attention. "So he only has to see us in training once and he'll see that we've got skills."

"Wow Gary actually has a point for once," Leaf mused.

"Hey," He said feeling insulted.

Drew rested his chin on his hand as he thought about what Leaf said. She was right, Red hadn't actually seen what any of them were capable of, well aside from when he had to fight the man. Still, they had a chance to prove to Red that they were stronger than he thought.

"It's worth a shot." Drew finally added in.

"Right, so tomorrow starts Operation: Impress Our Squad Leader!" May exclaimed.

They all rolled their eyes at her as they walked away.

* * *

><p>The next morning Red woke them up before the sun had even risen. The four teens stood in a line in the training room as they tried to keep their tired eyes open. They all wondered how Red managed to look perfectly awake. May let out a small yawn, which she tried her best to cover up. Red narrowed his eyes at his squad. Honestly it wasn't THAT early. He was rather disappointed at their inability to be alert at all times. He decided it was time to start with their first lesson.<p>

Before any of the teens could blink Red surged forward with intense speed. He grabbed Gary's arm and twisted it behind his back before flipping him over onto his back with ease. Gary let out a grunt as he hit the ground hard. The others tensed as he turned on them. Leaf let out a shriek as Red swiped her feet out from under her causing her to fall onto Gary with an "oof." Drew was now perfectly awake as he braced himself. However, instead Red turned his attention on May. Said brunette attempted to block the man's incoming attack, but failed and he easily spun around her and grabbed her bandanna pulling it over her eyes. She let out a yelp as she was shoved into Drew. He tried to catch her, but they both lost their footing as they too fell to the ground.

"Lesson one: always be alert." Red said calmly as he eyed the four teens on the ground.

They all glared up at him as they attempted to untangle themselves from each other.

"What the heck kind of lesson was that?" Gary cried out as he stood up.

"Do you think the enemy is going to tell you when they plan on attacking?" Red inquired.

"Of course not. We've been through an attack before." The brunette argued.

"And what were the consequences of being caught off guard?" The man shot back.

They all turned to Drew, who unhappily shoved his hands into his pockets as he was once again reminded of his injury.

"If my attack was the real thing, you'd all be dead." Red told them bluntly.

The group was quiet as they thought about what he said. Maybe they over estimated their own abilities.

"So much for impressing him with our skills," Leaf muttered to Gary.

He quickly shushed her as he eyed their squad leader wearily. He didn't really feel like being thrown to the floor again.

"Now today we're going to work on our endurance." Red said as he eyed them each. He had to stop himself from laughing when he saw May's reaction.

"What's the point in that? Shouldn't we be working on our combat skills?" Gary questioned. He instantly regretted it as Red made his way over stand in front of him.

"Forty," He said as he stared into the brunettes eyes.

"Forty?" Gary asked in confusion.

"For questioning my training methods. Forty push ups." Red told him. "Or would you rather me give you a different punishment?" He added with a wicked smirk.

"F-Forty is good!" Gary muttered as he dropped to the ground and started counting out push ups. He didn't want to have to suffer whatever other kind of sick punishment the man could come up with.

"The rest of you, start running." Red stated as he looked to the other three.

Drew thought about arguing, but held his tongue. As much as he strongly disliked his squad leader, he knew ignoring the man's commands would only cause trouble. Not to mention he didn't want to end up like Gary doing push ups. But there was still that part of him that hated taking orders, he already missed the other three looking to him to guide them. May and Leaf had already started running and he turned to follow them with a sigh. After finishing his push ups, Gary followed after them as they ran laps around the training grounds. It didn't take long for May to start complaining and soon fell to her knees.

"How much longer do we have to keep doing this?" She wailed.

Red's eyebrows furrowed as he watched the girl throw her little tantrum. The others also stopped their running as they turned to look at the girl behind them.

"This is the reason you're doing this training. How can you be tired already? You've only been running for ten minutes." He said with a sigh.

"No way! It feels like I've been running for hours," She said with defeat.

"Geez, you really are hopeless," Drew said with a look of disappointment. While Leaf and Gary at least looked a little tired as they were catching their breath, he looked like he wasn't even phased. May half wondered if he was even human.

Red was ready to scold the girl when he paused as she looked up at him with her big sapphire eyes, and he internally flinched. With just a glance she was begging for him to do something else, and it was working. Just when he was about to give in to her pouting, Lyra saved him from caving.

"Hey guys!" She said cheerily as she made her way toward them, her squad following close behind. "I saw you all training and I thought I'd come say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" May questioned as the rest of her friends made their way back over.

"Clair decided to send some of us out to Hoenn. A lot of the bases around the regions are sending out whoever they can. We're going to try and find any students from the schools and see how bad the region has fallen." She said with a small smile as she looked cautiously at the four teens.

May's heart tightened from her words. They were going to look for survivors, students from the academies. Her brother could still be out there. He could be fighting for his life while she sat around complaining about running. It was that moment that she felt completely useless. She was doing nothing, and to think there was a war just outside. She brought her hand up to her heart as she clenched her shirt.

"Take care of yourself out there." Red said to Lyra as he put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll be taking care of her, so don't worry." Silver stated in an irritated voice as he appeared with a squad of his own all packed and ready.

A small smirk made its way onto Red's face. "Now I'm really concerned." He joked.

The two shared a glare, and although the others couldn't tell, it held a hidden message of friendship.

"Good luck." Leaf said with a forced smile. She couldn't help but feel a little envious that they were going out to help others while her squad was just training.

The two boys remained silent as similar thoughts clouded their minds. It didn't seem fair that they weren't out there doing all that they could to put a stop to the war. Noticing the tense atmosphere, Lyra turned to leave. May's jaw clenched as she jumped up.

"Lyra," She called out. Lyra turned around to find May looking to her with an intense gaze.

"Yes?" Lyra questioned as she wondered just what could cause the girl to make such a serious face.

"My brother. Max." May started as she once again clutched her heart. "He was a freshman at an academy in Fortree City. He's really smart, I know he made it out."

She didn't need to say any more for Lyra to get it. "Max huh? I'll keep an eye out for him." Lyra assured her with a small smile. With that she turn and left, her squad following close behind. They all silently watched them leave before May turned to face her squad leader.

"I promise we can be a top notch squad when we put our minds to it. I know we're not perfect, but don't give up on us yet." She said with a fierce gaze.

"Uh... okay." Red managed to say as he eyed her with confusion. Wasn't this the girl that just complained after running for only ten minutes?

With that she turned and started running. The others watcher her in surprise for a minute before following after. She was going to show Red that they were a capable squad, and were more than capable for their mission.

Red smiled to himself as he watched the four teens running with all they had. Drew and Gary easily passed up May and she yelled at them as she picked up her pace, with Leaf right behind her. While he was definitely right about them being a bit childish, he had to give it to them. They were all strong willed, and that's the most important strength of all.

* * *

><p><strong>Yay another chapter! I'm so sorry about how long this one took. I'm taking summer classes and they've been pretty intense so far. Thanks for sticking with me everyone :)<strong>

**Neko-Sama: Thanks! I agree, Red is far too hot for his own good.**

**DisasterButterfly: By die I'm not sure if you were referring to Jessie and James, or Mr. Briney... But I actually felt bad when all three died but... yeah I'm cruel. They just had to die for me to bring entertainment ;)**

**Guest: Sorry if my update wasn't soon enough :(**

**I'll Break Your Heart: I was actually trying to make Drew a little bit cocky, just because that's kind of who his character is. He's sure of his own abilities and that's one of the things I like about him. The guy has confidence and in contest battles that's an important quality. But yeah, he doesn't need to get too full of himself :P Yeah, Red has his own little back story that you'll see eventually. I'm pretty excited to get to it. And thank you! I'm glad you like the story :)**

**Silver Shihouin: Well here's that update! Sorry it took so long!**


	10. Chapter 10

It had been two weeks since Red had started training his squad, and he was rather impressed with their abilities. He stood to the side watching as they sparred with each other. Gary was very talented with a sword, he was very sure of his own abilities and with good reason. Red figured that with his swordsmanship and his powerful Arcanine, the brunette boy could really hold his own against the enemy. He watched as Gary took a swing at Leaf which she easily ducked under. While she wasn't nearly as strong as Gary or Drew, Leaf made up for it with speed and defense. Not to mention she had been working on her arsenal of poisons, with which she could drop even the biggest of opponents.

Red then turned his attention to the other two. May was completely lacking in sword skills. While she could probably hold her own in a fight that didn't involve weapons, she would easily be cut down by someone with a sword. However, this didn't mean she was a weak link. She would actually prove to be a strong asset to the squad. She had deadly accuracy with her bow, and those with talented archery skills were hard to come by. Not to mention she and her Blaziken were in perfect sync, they battled together flawlessly. Although, she still needed to have at least some up close combat skills, which is why Drew was teaching her. He was attempting to show May a proper stance when holding a sword, but somehow it ended up with them arguing. Which brought Drew to Red's mind. The green haired teen was skilled at just about everything. While Drew's swordsmanship wasn't quite as good as his own, Red had to admit that he was good. If the teen hadn't still been healing from his injury when they fought on the mountain, Red was sure that Drew would've put up much more of a fight. But it wasn't just his skills with a sword, Drew was also good in Pokemon battles. He and his Flygon were just as good, if not better, than May and her Blaziken. He also showed talents in herbs, though he wasn't as skilled as Leaf, he appeared to have quite the knowledge of plants. He even had some skills in archery, while not as well as May, he knew his way around a bow. Red couldn't figure out just where Drew had come from. He possessed talents that were far beyond what he would gain just from an academy. No, it was obvious that the teen had prior training.

Intent on getting answers, Red headed toward the two. He rolled his eyes at May's poor stance and went directly behind her. Using his foot he pushed her feet further apart. He then reached around her and moved her hands so they were holding the sword properly. A blush made it's way onto her face as she felt his breath on her ear.

"This is a proper stance," He told her in a silky voice. "Now practice your swings."

"O-Okay..." She muttered as she swung her sword back and forth.

Red turned his gaze to Drew to find him glaring at him. He almost wanted to smirk to himself. He wondered if Drew even realized his own obvious attraction to May.

"Let's talk," Red said to him as he ignored the angry glare.

A questioning look crossed Drew's features for a split second before his gaze turned cold as he sheathed his sword and he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"All right," He said coolly as he started walking away from May.

She was confused as she watched them walk away, both looking incredibly tense.

After he felt they were at a far enough distance that the others couldn't over hear them, Red turned to stare intently at Drew.

"You never did answer where you're from." He said simply.

Drew raised an eyebrow as he tried to figure where he was going with that statement. "I never really thought it was an important detail." He replied.

"I was just curious," Red said as he looked off to the others, who were trying to make it look like they were training, but were more focused on trying to figure out what the two of them were doing. He didn't think Drew was going to say anything until he finally spoke up.

"LaRousse City," Drew muttered. Red turned his gaze back to the teen next to him. He tried to figure out just what was going through Drew's mind, but found him incredibly hard to read. Well now his intelligence made sense. LaRousse was known as the city of the future. It seemed as though all the kids from there ended up being famous for something, whether it was art, science, sword fighting, or Pokemon battling, LaRousse was the place to look for the child prodigies of the world.

"LaRousse huh? That's a pretty advanced city. Were you born there?" A look crossed Drew's features from the question, but Red was unable to determine what kind of emotion it was.

"No," He answered quickly.

Red raised an eyebrow at that. Drew was definitely hiding something. He wasn't sure what it was, but there was something in his past that Drew didn't want to talk about.

"Are we done here?" Drew asked is if he was itching to get away from the man next to him.

"Keeping secrets can hurt those around you," Red told him.

This statement irritated Drew. Who was he to tell others that when he had his own secrets? "Tch. You're one to talk." He retorted back instantly.

Now he peaked Red's curiosity. "I'm not sure I know what you mean," He said calmly.

Drew rolled his eyes at the man. "The day we met you on that mountain, you looked surprised when you saw Gary. Care to explain why?" He looked carefully for any change in Red's expression, but couldn't find a reaction. Was he just seeing things that day on the mountain? No, Drew knew what he saw, and he was going to get answers from his squad leader.

"You really are more perceptive than the others." Red finally spoke with a hint of amusement.

The two stared intently at each other. Both filled with curiosity of the other's secrets. Red was growing even more amused with the green haired teen glaring up at him. It was almost like looking at a younger version of himself, skilled, smart, and incredibly distrusting.

"How about we make a deal?" Red offered. Drew's eyebrows arched, an indication that Red had peaked his interest. "A Pokemon battle. Loser spills the beans."

Drew's brows furrowed as he contemplated the offer. This was a good chance to learn things about his suspicious squad leader. Not to mention, learning the man's battle tactics would also be beneficial. But then there was the possibility of him losing. Were Red's secrets worth the risk of exposing his own that he had worked so hard to keep hidden? Of course he knew that he was a good battler, there was the fact that Red had to be even better. Even still, this was his chance to get answers to the questions that had been plaguing his mind since he met the man. Red could have answers to things even Gary didn't know about. It was his job as Gary's best friend to get those answers.

"Fine." He said after a long pause.

A smirk slid across Red's face as Drew pulled his crystal from around his neck, his expression was extremely serious. Red instantly copied his expression as he realized just how serious he was. Drew usually always had an air of over confidence about him, but this time was different. There was no smirk or smart remarks, just a look of pure determination. This was certainly going to be interesting. The others instantly stopped what they were doing when they saw Drew pull out his crystal. Were they gong to have a battle? In the time that they'd spent with him, Red still had yet to show them his partner Pokemon. The three teens eagerly made their way over to their friend and squad leader.

May could only guess what kind of partner Pokemon Red had. He was such a powerful fighter, his Pokemon must be just as impressive. Perhaps a mighty Salamence, or maybe a fierce Tyranitar? She watched in anticipation as Red reached into his shirt and pulled out a crystal of his own. As his crystal was pulled out she thought she saw a another crystal, but it was quickly hidden behind his shirt. Of course she had to be seeing things, people only had one life time Pokemon partner. It was rare indeed to find someone that could bond with more than that. Yet, she couldn't ignore the feeling that she didn't imagine it.

The two took their positions on the field standing opposite each other. Drew held up his crystal, never taking his eyes off of his opponent.

"Flygon, release!" At Drew's call, his Flygon emerged from the crystal in a flash of light. He spread his wings out wide, happy to get some fresh air.

"A Flygon huh? It's actually rather fitting of you. He even matches your bizarre hair color." Red commented nonchalantly.

Drew just growled in annoyance. With a small chuckle to himself Red held up his own crystal. He didn't need to call out for his Pokemon to know to make an appearance. In a flash of light, a Pikachu appeared from the crystal. The others were surprised to say the least. With how skilled their leader was, they were expecting his Pokemon to be just as intimidating as he was. A puny Pikachu was the last thing they were expecting.

A small chuckle was heard from Gary on the sidelines. All he could think was how Flygon was going to completely destroy that tiny rodent. It reminded him of Ash and his own Pikachu that could never face up to Gary's Arcanine. It was about time Red was finally going to get shown up. He half wished he was the one that would get to humiliate him in a battle.

His moment of laughter was cut short when he was hit by an electric shock. The small Pikachu was glaring in his direction with cheeks sparking, clearly he wasn't amused by Gary's giggles.

"Sorry about that. He has a short temper." Red apologized for his Pokemon as he scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Don't be. Sometimes I wish someone would shock him more often." Leaf said with a sigh as she looked down at the shocked boy next to her. Now it was May's turn to chuckle.

Drew stared intently at the Pikachu standing across from him. He had a bad feeling about what he got himself into. Red looked so calm, like he had no care in the world. He didn't even seemed phased that he had a serious type disadvantage. Of course that Pikachu had to be strong, Clair wouldn't have made him a squad leader if he didn't have a capable Pokemon. He figured he had better make the first move before that Pikachu showed off it's abilities first.

"Flygon, flamethrower!" He ordered. Of course he knew his attack wouldn't hit, but he wanted to see just what Red could do.

A hint of a smile made its way onto Red's features. Drew was playing it safe and attacking from afar, smart and yet pointless. He didn't even have to tell his Pokemon to move, the small Pikachu easily evaded the attack with amazing agility. After watching Ash battle with his Pikachu, Drew was aware that Pikachu were fast, but this Pikachu's speed was unreal. The small mouse Pokemon moved out of the way of the flamethrower so fast that Drew almost missed it.

"Double team," Red said in a smooth voice.

In an instant the Pikachu was across the field and its many clones were circling Flygon. Drew knew how to counter that attack, Ash had tried it so many times, it was almost laughable now.

"Use earthquake!" Drew shouted out quickly. Flygon slammed into the ground causing the field to break apart as rocks shot up out of the ground. However, instead of the attack stopping the Pikachu's speed like he planned, Pikachu used a rock to jump up and land on Flygon's back. It certainly wasn't what Drew was expecting to happen. Red and his Pikachu were so in sync, Red didn't even have to say anything out loud for Pikachu to make a move. And now Pikachu was exactly where Red wanted him to be.

"Iron Tail!" Before Flygon could react, Pikachu's tail started glowing and he slammed it into Flygon's back. The dragon Pokemon let out a cry as he was smashed into the ground. Pikachu landed gracefully back on the ground as Flygon started to pick himself up.

Drew was completely astounded by the raw power of the Pikachu. Flygon looked like he had taken some serious damage and it was only one attack. He couldn't help but feel annoyed, he wasn't sure if it was at himself, or his Pokemon.

"Flygon get off the ground!" Drew ordered. Flygon instantly flew up and away from the powerful yellow Pokemon.

"Thunder bolt," Red commanded.

Pikachu charged up his electricity and shot it toward Flygon in an attempt to knock him out of the sky. However, Flygon easily maneuvered around the attack. Pikachu shot continuous thunder bolts, but Flygon was too quick in the air.

"Flamethrower!" Drew tried again.

Flygon shot the attack straight toward the Pikachu, but instead of dodging the attack like Drew thought he would, the mouse Pokemon used thunder bolt again. The powerful electric attack surged around the flame and hit Flygon's right wing. The blow stunned his wing and he fell awkwardly to the ground below. Pikachu was unable to avoid the flamethrower and was hit directly by the attack, sending him rolling back a ways, before standing up having only taken minor damage. Flygon too stood back up and shook off his wing, the electric attack didn't manage to do much, but the fall seemed to have effected him.

Drew's jaw clenched as he tried to think of some strategy against the small mouse, but couldn't seem to come up with a plan. If speed wasn't bad enough, his power was just as deadly. It was obvious that Red spent a lot of time training his Pikachu. They were on a whole different level than Drew and his Flygon.

"Iron Tail again," Red told his Pokemon, not bothering to give Drew a chance to recollect himself.

Pikachu's tail glowed as he charged toward Flygon.

"Quick, use sandstorm!" Drew managed to call out. Flygon flapped his wings and launched a powerful stream of sand toward the on coming Pikachu. He managed to catch the electric type off guard and the small Pokemon stopped in his tracks as he was engulfed in a tornado of sand.

"I didn't think you'd be able to make such a quick come back. Not bad." Red commented.

"I don't need praise from you," Drew retorted as his fists clenched at his sides.

Red smiled to himself despite Drew's rude response. He certainly was a stubborn kid. The smile on Red's face only seemed to irritate him more. Red was just playing with him. Was he really so inferior to the man before him?

"Flygon, use dragon tail!" With Drew's command the dragon Pokemon surged toward the tornado of sand and swung his powerful tail. The attack cut through the tornado causing it to disappear, but also reveal that Pikachu was no longer inside.

Everyone's, except Red's, eyes were wide in surprise.

"Where did he go?" May asked as they all searched around for the missing Pokemon.

"Use quick attack," Red suddenly commanded. At his command, Pikachu appeared from underneath the sand and charged toward Flygon.

"Smart, he used the sand from the sandstorm to hide until the prime time to attack. Red really knows what he's doing." Gary commented with narrow eyes. He had really underestimated that Pikachu. And now, Drew was going to get creamed.

In an instant Pikachu slammed into Flygon, causing him to cry out from the force of the attack. However, Pikachu didn't stop at one attack. As soon as he landed on the other side of Flygon, he turned around and attacked again and again. He was moving with such speed it looked like Flygon was just being attacked by a yellow blur.

Drew could do nothing but watch in disbelief as his Flygon was repeatedly thrown around by the Pikachu's continuous quick attacks. It was that point that Drew knew he was no match for Red.

"That's enough," He said quietly with his head bowed.

Red stared intently at the teen before he signaled for his Pikachu to stop attacking. When the attacks stopped, Flygon fell to the ground in a heap. Drew instantly ran to his side and bent down to place a hand on his partner's head.

"I'm sorry." He managed to say in a shaking voice as he looked over his friend and saw just how much damage had been done.

Flygon managed to let out a reassuring cry to tell Drew it wasn't his fault.

"Return Flygon to your crystal. They have healing properties, and after a day or so in there, he'll be fine." Red said as he walked over to Drew.

Without a word, and with his head hung low, Drew lifted up his crystal and returned his Pokemon.

"I look forward to our conversation later." Red said to him quietly. "We'll call it a day now." He then added as he looked to the others.

Drew closed his eyes as he slowly stood up with a sigh. He almost had to laugh to himself at how easily he got played. Red seemed to know just the right things to say to get on his nerves. Of course, Red lured him into a battle that he knew Drew had no chance of winning.

"Drew," A small voice called to him. "Are you okay?"

He turned around to find May standing behind him, a look of concern on her face. There was something about the way she looked at him that made him want to just tell her everything. He wanted to spill all the secrets that had been weighing on his heart since he was a child. However, he knew that he couldn't.

"Of course I am. It was just a battle," He said with a flip of his hair.

May knew him well enough that she could see through his charade.

"You sure took it pretty seriously." She prodded.

He sent a glance in her direction that she couldn't quite read. However, she could tell she hit a nerve.

"Stop looking into nonexistent things," He said with a calm smile as he closed his eyes nonchalantly and walked away with his hands in his pockets.

She stared intently at his back as he walked away. Something was off about him.

As soon as Drew was clear of the training room he let out a sigh. Just what was he going to tell Red? He knew he couldn't get out of telling his squad leader what he wanted to know, but he wondered just how much detail he could leave out. One thing was for sure, he was going to avoid the man for as long as possible.

* * *

><p><strong>Ah Drew, what secrets do you hold? ;) I'd like to give a million apologies for how long it took me to update. I guess life got a little too hectic. I promise I'll try to stay on top of it, but who knows... On the plus side, the next chapter is pretty much done and should be up next week. So you can look forward to that? Thanks a ton for your patience and to everyone that has stuck around.<strong>

**Son of the Herobrine: No, Red doesn't have a full team. It's pretty much one Pokemon a person. (Spoiler) Maaaaybe two, hint hint if you caught that May noticed a little something something. But there won't be anyone with a full team of Pokemon in this story.**

**Guest: Ah a kiss would be great wouldn't it? But I don't think they're quite ready for that yet.**

**WickedySplit: Yup still writing this story, ever so slowly... I'm glad you like it though, thanks for your review :)**


	11. Chapter 11

May walked happily through the many halls of the base as she looked for her best friend. Leaf had disappeared around lunch time and May wanted to train a little before they were supposed to meet up with Red for their evening session of sword practice. She was rather pleased with her improvement and had found that the lighter the sword, the better she handled it. Red had given her a small rapier to train with, and it allowed her to execute more agile movement, that impressed even Drew. Of course she was no where near good enough to fight seriously with it, but the prospect excited her none the less. As she walked passed Clair's tent she heard a familiar voice.

"I can't believe they were wiped out so easily." Red said in a shocked voice.

"I know, Lyra and Silver were two of our best, and now who knows what the damned Oppression is doing with them. Probably taking them to a reprogramming center and getting as much info from them as they can." Clair sighed.

"Then we're not safe here any more. We need to move the base." He told her.

"No. There's no need to cause a panic just yet. With Hoenn in such disarray, we need to stay organized here." She replied calmly.

May couldn't believe what she was hearing. Lyra and Silver were defeated? She remembered watching them both in training before they left and both were exceptional fighters. It just couldn't be true, but then again, why would they be talking about it if it wasn't true? Her hands shook at her sides. That meant there was no one looking for Max. What if he had been captured, or worse? So many thoughts filled her head she couldn't stand to listen any more and ran down the many halls of the base in an attempt to sort her thoughts.

* * *

><p>It had been about a week since Drew's battle with Red, and it took all he had to avoid any time alone with him. Every time he saw the hat wearing man he would turn and run in the opposite direction. Of course whenever Red did manage to corner him, he'd come up with some incredibly lame excuse that he had to be somewhere else. The task of avoiding him was starting to become exhausting.<p>

Drew let out a sigh as he walked down one of the more quiet halls in the base. He had just narrowly avoided running into his squad leader and figured it would be easier to avoid the man if he stuck to the less populated areas of the base. However, it was in these empty halls that he saw a familiar red color. For a split second he froze thinking it was his squad leader, but then realized it was a familiar brunette girl.

May was sitting alone in the hallway, a troubled look on her features. Drew's curiosity was instantly peaked. What was she doing sitting alone looking so solemn?

"Hey there Bandanna," He said catching her attention.

She looked up at him only to check to see who it was before turning her attention back down. "Oh, hey Drew." She said in a despondent manner.

Now she had his full attention, whenever he called her bandanna it always got her all worked up, and she usually retorted by calling him grasshead.

"So what's bothering you?" He asked as he sat down next to her.

She glanced over at him and thought about lying and saying noting was wrong, but there was a part of her that wanted to tell him what was on her mind.

"I over heard Red and Clair talking." She said as she pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her head on them.

"You know it's bad to ease drop." He joked, but frowned when her expression remained sullen.

"Lyra and Silver were captured," She told him.

If he was surprised by this news, he did his best not to show it. They were both incredible trainers and fighters, to think that they were captured already. He had a feeling that Hoenn was a lot worse off than he had thought. Even still, Lyra and Silver disappearing didn't really seem like something that would bother her this much.

"This is about your brother, right?" He questioned.

She hugged her legs tighter against her chest. "I just can't stand being here knowing he could be out there somewhere all alone. I have a responsibility as his older sister to look out for him." She muttered with her face buried in her arms.

"If we can help Red with the flute, then we could potentially stop the war right? In that sense, you are doing something." He reasoned.

"Does it seem to you like Red is going to let us leave any time soon?" She asked as she gave him a stern gaze.

She certainly had a point. Red just continued to train them, often telling them that they were no where near being ready. At the rate he was going, it would be months before they set out to do whatever the heck it was they were going to do. It irritated him even more that Red still avoided their questions whenever they asked him what the flute was for.

"By the time we do anything, my brother could have died. I don't even care about the flute, I just want to find my brother." She added as she clenched her jaw.

Drew glared at the ground as her words sank in. Hoenn was a mess and he had completely forgotten about it. He'd been too relaxed. How many of his classmates were left? Just what was he doing here anyways? Was helping Red with the flute really going to do anything? He didn't join The Defiance to run around on some jerk's errand. No, he had his own goals that he was going to see through to the end.

"Then get up and do something about it." He said after a long period of silence.

She blinked a few times as she looked over at him in confusion, "Huh?" She managed to get out.

"I said, do something. Sitting around feeling sorry isn't going to change anything. Sitting here is just a waste of time." He clarified.

May stared at him for a second as what he said registered in her mind. Do something? He was right. She couldn't just sit around feeling bad, she had to do something, and she knew exactly what she had to do. She knew that doing it would be committing treason, and she would certainly be locked up for betraying The Defiance. However, there was a part of her that wanted to do it. No she HAD to do it.

"You're right, thanks." She said quickly as she stood up and walked away, leaving her friend to watch her as she left.

He had a bad feeling that she took what he said the wrong way.

* * *

><p>Later that night, May silently placed a small note on her pillow and let out a quiet sigh. Peeko stared at her questioningly as she picked up her bag.<p>

"Take care of Leaf for me," She told the small Pokemon in a hushed whisper.

As she exited the small room she shared with Leaf, she carried her belongings closely. She didn't want to leave her friend behind, but involving her would only cause her best friend trouble. So instead she left a note on her pillow and headed out. She jumped in surprise when she saw a shadowed figure leaning casually against the wall outside her room.

"Going somewhere?" Drew's familiar voice asked with sarcasm.

"What are you doing here at this hour?" She asked in an interrogative manner.

"I could ask you the same thing." He said back. "You know when I said to do something about it, running away wasn't what I meant."

"I'm not running away." She stated defensively. He eyed her bag and gave her a knowing look.

"I'm just doing what I need to do. I can't stay here anymore. I never wanted to be a part of the Defiance anyway." She said quietly.

He stayed silent for a while before he finally asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Her features showed her determination as she looked him in the eyes and nodded her head.

Drew sighed as he pushed himself away from the wall he was leaning on.

"Well then, let's go." He said casually as he picked up the bag sitting by his feet.

May looked to his waist and found his sword already in its place, as if he knew he'd be leaving. Was he really waiting, knowing she was planning on leaving, with the intent on going with her?

"What do you mean let's go? You're not coming with me." She argued.

"Let's face it May, you wouldn't last a day out in Hoenn on your own. Not to mention you'd have no way of getting there. Besides, what kind of guy would I be if I let a small girl run off into danger by herself?"

He made very good points and she knew having him along would definitely be beneficial.

"You know you'll be a traitor to the Defiance if you leave." She warned.

"Duh, I know that. I don't really care anyway." As the words left his mouth she gave him a confused stare. He didn't care? He always seemed so serious about his training though. "I'm like you, I never had an interest in joining either. I guess you could say I was just using the academy to further my own personal goals." He explained with a smirk.

She felt something was off with Drew's remark. Was he being serious about using the academy for his own goals? What goals could those possibly be? Now that she thought about it, there really was a lot she didn't know about him. Just who is Drew Hayden? Why did he want to go with her anyway? As far as she knew, Drew just thought of her as an annoyance, someone he could mess with when he was bored. Despite her thoughts, she realized his reasons didn't matter. The truth was, she wouldn't get far on her own, so despite his mysterious attitude lately, she was willing to let him tag along.

"Fine, I don't know what you're playing at, but if you're going to come then let's just go before we get caught." She said quickly as she headed toward the base entrance. Drew threw his bag over his shoulder as he silently followed behind, a triumphant smirk planted on his face.

Once outside, Drew released Flygon and jumped on his Pokemon's back. He then turned to May and held out his hand. She gawked at him as she fidgeted with her hands. Her gaze jumped between the dragon Pokemon and the green haired boy sitting on it.

"Do we have to fly there?" She asked nervously.

An evil grin made its way onto Drew's features. "You're not scared of heights are you?" He mocked.

"N-No! Don't be ridiculous!" She retorted. "I just don't see why we can't take the boat?"

"Do you seriously want to go back out on that ocean after what happened last time?" He asked with a raised brow.

Her mind drifted back to the giant Tentacruel that nearly killed her and shuddered. "No," She answered quickly.

"Then let's go!" He said impatiently as he once again held out his hand.

She slowly reached out and he easily pulled her up to sit behind him.

"Let's go Flygon!" With those words the dragon Pokemon let out a cry and took off with blinding speed.

May cried out as she instantly wrapped her arms around Drew. He stiffened from the contact, but relaxed when he looked back to see her looking so afraid with her eyes squeezed shut.

"So the great May is afraid of heights. It's kind of sad really." He commented.

Her grip on him tightened as she glared at him from over his shoulder.

"I said I wasn't scared!" She lied, poorly.

Drew rolled his eyes at her attempt at bravery. He didn't understand why she couldn't just admit she was scared. After all, everyone was afraid of something. An evil thought came to his mind as he leaned down and to the side. Flygon followed his lead and banked to the right. May screeched as she held onto Drew tighter.

"Cut it out! I'm scared okay!?" She yelled into his back.

"Now was that so hard to admit?" He asked in a cocky voice that made May want to hit him. She would have if she wasn't so afraid of letting go.

"You're such a jerk." She mumbled in defeat.

There was something about the fear in her shaky voice that made Drew rethink his next line. His thoughts drifted back to the moment when the Tentacruel pulled her into the water. He remembered so clearly the fear in her eyes and the terrified look on her face. He never wanted to see her make that face again. As long as he was around, she wouldn't have to.

"Just don't worry about it, I won't let you fall." He told her.

She was completely surprised by his words. Did Drew Hayden just try to comfort her?

"Thanks," She managed to reply as she rested her head on his shoulder. Despite his earlier teasing, she felt a little safer from his words and her grip around him loosened.

Drew smiled to himself as he felt May relax against him. Her small form holding on to him seemed so fragile. He couldn't quite place it, but he got a strange feeling from thinking about her. It was foreign to him, but it wasn't completely unwanted. He almost wanted their little moment in the sky to last forever, but of course they had to stop eventually to let Flygon rest. After a few hours of flying they found a small island and decided to stop there. May had Blaziken start up a fire as Drew collected some wood to keep it going. Finally they had everything set up as the two relaxed against the sleepy Flygon. Drew took the first watch as May fell asleep, her sleeping face only a few inches away. He felt awkward being so close and got up to sit on the other side of the fire. Luckily his Pokemon didn't seem to mind having her use him as a pillow. He eyed his trainer and then the girl for a while, before laying back down to sleep. Drew watched her even breathing as he thought about what they were doing. Red was going to kill them when he found out, and he just hoped to himself that the others didn't notice their absence and come after them before they had a chance to get far enough away.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Gary wandered around looking for his best friend. Drew wasn't in their room when he woke up, and he wasn't training or eating breakfast either. It was like he had just disappeared. He paused when he saw Leaf standing outside of her room. Peeko was perched on her head as the brunette girl looked around the hall as if she were lost.<p>

"Hey, have you seen Drew yet today?" He asked her as he walked over.

"Drew is gone too?" She asked wide eyed.

"What do you mean too?" He inquired, not sure if he wanted to hear her response.

She held up a small piece of paper as she muttered, "I think we have a problem."

Before Gary could reply, the paper she held up was snatched by a familiar gloved hand.

"And what might that be?" Their squad leader asked with a menacing gaze.

* * *

><p>Everything ached as he was dragged back down the dimly lit stairs and through the damp halls where the prison cells were. He could hear the strangled cries of the recently tortured, but chose to block them out as the door to his cell was opened and he was thrown in. He didn't have the strength to catch himself, and instead hit the ground hard. It would've hurt more if he wasn't already mostly numb from the hours of torture he had just endured. If anything, the cold floor of the cell felt good against his heated skin.<p>

"What did they do to you?" A familiar voice cried out as she ran to his side. There were about six other people that shared their cell, but none were really important to him like the angel hovering above him.

Silver finally opened his eyes to find Lyra leaning over him. She pulled his head up on her lap as she lightly brushed his sweat covered hair out of his face. Tears were threatening to fall from her eyes as she looked him over. They had arrived at the reprogramming center only a day ago, but they were quick to take him away for questioning. They had singled the two of them out as squad leaders, and figured they'd be full of info. Of course, they got nothing out of him. He wasn't so weak that he would break after only a few hours of a series of questions and electric shocks. They'd have to do a lot better than that if they wanted information from him. His only fear was for the girl that was holding him. Lyra was tough sure, but he couldn't imagine her having to endure the same thing he just went through. He frowned at the newly formed bruise he saw on her cheek, it must have been from when they took him away. Of course she tried to keep him from being taken, and it resulted in a brutal hit to the face. Silver wanted nothing more than to throttle the man that hit her.

"Don't leave me, okay?" She choked out as a single tear escaped. The thought of losing him scared her far more than the potential torture that was waiting for her later. How long would they last before their minds were wiped and they found themselves members of The Oppression?

"I'm not going anywhere." He managed to tell her as he shakily lifted his hand to wipe away the tear on her face.

"Okay," She whispered as she leaned down and lightly touched her lips to his.

They were a strong couple, they wouldn't break easily, she'd make sure of that.

* * *

><p><strong>As promised, here's the next chapter. So I wasn't originally going to include the part at the end with Silver and Lyra, but I figured it could be a good opportunity to show what goes on in the reprogramming centers. Plus, I couldn't resist throwing in a little SilverLyra moment. Anywho, now that they're on their own, May and Drew will finally start getting closer, you know, if they don't strangle each other first.**

**WickedySplit: Thank you so much! I'm glad you really like the story. Also, don't worry, the MayxDrew moments are coming ;)**


	12. Chapter 12

"I'm going to kill them," Red said in a dark voice as he crushed May's note in his hand.

What the heck were those two thinking? Obviously it was May's idea to leave, but why did Drew go with her instead of stopping her? Perhaps whatever secret he was hiding was so valuable he'd rather run away than share it with him? It wasn't like Red didn't notice the fact that Drew had been avoiding him for the past week, but to run away like that was a bit much. Honestly, what were they hoping to accomplish? They were going to get themselves killed if he didn't find them.

"I'm sure May had a good reason," Leaf said in a low voice. All the note said was that she needed to go back to the Hoenn Region. Of course it was obvious now that Drew had followed along with her. Leaf trusted that her friend was just doing what she thought was best, but she still couldn't help but feel let down that her friend left her behind.

"Well I don't really care what Drew's reason was." Gary spoke up. "I'm going to kick his ass for leaving me behind." He added in frustration as he slammed his fist into his hand for emphasis.

Leaf's gaze met Gary's as the two seemed to be thinking similar thoughts. How could their friends leave them behind without even saying anything?

"We have to find them before they get themselves killed, or worse, found out." Red said to the two teens before him.

"What do you mean?" Gary inquired.

Leaf rolled her eyes at her teammate, sometimes he was a little slow.

"Abandoning your duties is treason, and the Defiance doesn't take that lightly. If they get caught, they'll WISH they were dead." Red informed him.

Gary paled at his words. He had totally forgotten about that part. May and Drew had to know that, so why in the world would they even risk it?

"Then I have to ask. Why aren't you turning them in?" Leaf asked her squad leader with caution.

He sighed at her question, not completely sure of the reason himself. In a way, his running off to Mt. Silver was treason, but those around him understood. Not that anyone would be able to bring him in, even if they tried. Perhaps he could see where the two were coming from, it was something they truly thought they had to do. As their squad leader, it was his job to clean up their messes, as much of a trouble as it was.

"Because they're idiots that happen to be my responsibility," He said through clenched teeth. "Get your things, we're going after them." As he said this he started down the hall.

"Where are you going?" Leaf called after him.

"I have to go tell a small lie to our base leader." He sighed over his shoulder.

* * *

><p>Drew's eyes flickered open as the morning sun woke him up. He was vaguely aware of something warm cuddled up against him. He looked over to find May wrapped securely in his arms. Confusion muddled his thoughts as he tried to figure out how they even ended up in that position. He remembered Flygon took over watch from him and then he fell asleep, but he definitely didn't remember falling asleep right next to May. Drew looked up to find Blaziken leaning against the tree on a branch looking down at them. The Pokemon seemed to be shooting an angry glare in Drew's direction, as if it were his fault the young girl decided to cling to him.<p>

As if his discomfort was a disruption, May slowly opened her eyes to see a familiar shade of green. She let out a startled gasp and she instantly released her hold on the boy. She quickly rolled away from him, now fully awake.

"What were you-? Why were we-?" She couldn't seem to come up with words as she tried to figure out why she was holding onto Drew in her sleep. Now that she was no longer clinging to him, Drew managed to sit up and watch the girl in amusement as she stood there looking mortified.

"I knew you had secret feelings for me, but I didn't think you'd come on so strongly." Drew mocked with a smirk and a flip of his hair.

"T-That's not what happened!" She denied. The truth was that last night she was sitting across from Drew when it was time for Blaziken to take the final watch of the night. She was about to fall asleep in her spot against Flygon, when she noticed Drew shaking. He was probably cold because he chose to lay by himself. So being the caring person that she was, May went over to lay next to him to share warmth. Apparently her kindness backfired, because she certainly didn't expect to wake up in his arms. But she wasn't going to tell him any of that.

"I must have been sleep walking and got there by accident." She lied.

"So you're just subconsciously in love with me?" He teased.

A slight shade of pink decorated her face as she yelled, "I'm not in love with you!"

After their interesting wake up, the two walked around the island in search of some berries for breakfast. Drew walked ahead, his hands stuffed in his pockets, with a grumpy May dragging her feet behind him. She looked around as she walked and tried to think of something other than the annoying boy in front of her. She held up her hands and made a rectangle out of her thumbs and index fingers, looking through as if through a camera. It was something she used to do with her brother. They always joked that some day they'd have their own expedition show as they traveled the world.

"May's expedition into the mysterious woods begins," She said ominously to herself.

Drew smiled slightly to himself. "You don't get out much, do you?" He sneered.

She didn't bother looking at him as she continued to observe the world through her make believe camera.

"Of course I do," She told him in a matter-of-fact style. "You just don't know how to have fun." She added.

Drew suddenly paused as he walked, causing May to bump into him.

"What was that for?" She chastised.

He motioned forward and she followed his gaze to find an old man walking along, eating what appeared to be a berry. His grey hair went down to his shoulders and he looked like he'd been living out in the wilderness for a few days. A Bellsprout walked happily along next to him.

"He's got food!" May said in delight as she instantly ran around Drew and toward the old man.

Drew's eye twitch in irritation as he quickly ran after her. He didn't point out the old man so she could run toward him. What if he was working for The Oppression? Sometimes May really was clueless.

The elderly fellow and his Pokemon looked their way when he heard the two running toward him.

"Hi, there," May called out to him in her friendliest voice.

The man acknowledged her in surprise. "It's very rare indeed to see people here." He stated as the two stopped in front of him. "Not many people can find Mirage Island." He said thoughtfully.

May looked extremely confused from the man's words. "Mirage Island?" She questioned.

The man nodded. "Yes, a difficult island surrounded by many dangerous whirlpools and a thick mist. Very few manage to set foot on land."

Drew thought for a second before he realized where he knew that name from.

"Hey, I've heard of this place." He said out loud.

"You have? Really?" May questioned with interest.

"This place is world famous." He informed her. If it was so famous, she didn't see how she'd never heard of it, especially since it was so close to her home region. Not to mention, they had no trouble finding it.

"It's known for being one of the only places you can find Liechi berries." He added.

"I've never heard of those..." She stated not sure if he really knew what he was talking about.

"They're only the best berries for a Pokemon going into battle. They raise a Pokemon's attack and give them extra energy. They've helped win countless wars." He felt like he was giving a repeat lesson of things he learned at the academy, but by the looks on May's face, she had no idea what he was talking about. How in the world did she pass any of her classes?

"Of course I wouldn't expect _you_ to know that." He added in a derisive manner.

May was irritated by his comment and turned her wrath on him. "Oh yeah! I happen to know all about Lechi berries!" She bit back.

"Well then I'm sure you know it's pronounced _Liechi_," He teased.

May pouted as she puffed her cheeks out. The old man laughed at their bickering.

"So what brings a couple of energetic youngsters like yourselves to Mirage Island?" He asked.

The two stopped glaring at each other as they turned to answer him.

"We're just passing through. Though now that I've heard about the Liechi berries, I think it would be beneficial to get some while we're here." Drew said thoughtfully.

The old man nodded in agreement. "That's not a bad idea. I think taking some will benefit you greatly. If you'd like, I'll show you where to find them." He offered with a smile.

"That would be great! Thanks." May said with glee. "By the way, I"m May, and this is Drew." She said as she introduced them.

"My name is Roderick, and this is my partner, Bellsprout." The vine Pokemon waved hello as he was introduced.

"Nice to meet you." The two teens said with a smile.

They followed the man through the thick forest until they finally arrived at the edge of a small cliff that over looked the river below.

"So Roderick, do you live on the island?" May asked the man as they walked.

"Oh no. I only come to visit now and then for Liechi berries."

As the two talked, something ahead of them caught Drew's attention.

"Hey, look!" Drew called out with excitement as he ran over to the edge of the cliff.

"What is it Drew?" May questioned as she followed after him.

The two stood at the edge and looked down at a branch below that was full of Liechi berries.

"Hey, those must be Liechi berries!" May said with excitement as she took a step forward to get a better look.

"Look out! That cliff-!" As the words left Roderick's mouth, the cliff below May and Drew's feet collapsed.

The two cried out as the ground beneath them gave way and they started falling.

"Bellsprout! Vine whip!" Roderick called to the small Pokemon standing next to him.

The Bellsprout shot out a vine toward the falling teens. May was the closest and she reached out and just managed to grasp the vine.

"Drew!" She called to her friend as she held out her hand to him. She managed to grab a hold of his hand, but the weight of both teens was too much for the girl, and the vine slipped out of her hand.

They both cried out once again as they plummeted to the river below. Their heads finally popped up further down as the river swept them away. Roderick chased after them and the two struggled to keep their heads above the water.

"You've got to swim ashore! There's a waterfall dead ahead." He yelled out to them.

Both looked ahead in surprise as they saw where the water dropped off. Realizing their situation, they both struggled against the current, but were no match for it's strength. May's heart fell to her stomach when they reached the edge and were swept over. They both let out terrified screams as they were thrown down with the water. In an instant Drew reached over to May as they fell. He pulled her closely as if to protect her from the fall and braced for impact. The two hit the bottom with a large splash, and for a moment, it seemed like they wouldn't resurface. Finally May popped out of the water, gasping for breath. She looked around, frantically searching for Drew. Where was he? Why hadn't he surfaced yet? Finally, his head surfaced and she quickly noticed he was out cold.

"Don't worry Drew, I've got you!" She called out while swimming over to grab him. She hooked her arms under his shoulders, trying to keep his head above the water.

Just then, the current picked up and they were dragged along with it. She cried out as the river turned, and with it, waves were created that pulled them under. She managed to get them back above the surface as she struggled to hold onto Drew.

"Drew you've gotta wake up! I don't think I have the strength to pull us out of this current!" She begged, but knew he wasn't likely to respond. He had taken the full blow of their fall, and she wasn't even sure if he was still breathing. She couldn't help but wonder what he would do if he were awake. Drew always seemed to know what to do when they ran into trouble. She always relied on him, and now he was relying on her.

Just then she saw something in the trees out of the corner of her eye. She looked over to see a small girl with blonde hair and wearing a straw hat, jumping through the trees with what looked to be a Pikachu and a pack of Wynaut. Clearly she swallowed too much water and was now seeing things. Why else would there be a strange girl jumping through trees in a forest on a practically deserted island?

The girl managed to get ahead of them and used her legs to hang upside down and held out her hands. The Pikachu ran down the girl's body and grasped onto her hands. Each of the Wynaut followed after them grabbing onto the Pikachu's tail and then onto each other's ears. They soon formed a chain that reached out to where the two teens were being swept away. The Wynaut on the end managed to grab a hold of May's hand, and using all her strength, the girl in the hat started to pull them to shore.

* * *

><p>"Drew, please wake up." Drew heard May's familiar voice beg. He let out a groan as he squeezed his eye lids together before allowing them to flicker open. He squinted as his eyes adjusted to the light and saw May leaning over him, a look of concern on her features.<p>

It took him a second to realize he was laying down in what appeared to be a cave. Last he remembered he was falling off of a waterfall, with May in his arms. He was beyond relieved to see the brunette girl looking uninjured as he slowly sat up and held his aching head.

"Did you save me?" He managed to ask, trying to imagine the small girl before him pulling them both out of that current.

May shook her head with a sad smile. "Uh-uh, she did." She said motioning to Drew's left.

He looked over to find a small blond girl, wearing a straw hat, playing with a group of Wynaut and a Pikachu. It certainly was a weird sight, and he couldn't help but wonder what all happened while he was out. The girl finally looked over to them, and a large smile made its way onto her face.

"You're awake! I'm glad. You really had us worried." She said to him as she made her way over. He was then able to get a better look at her. She wore an orange sleeveless dress, with slits that started at her waist, over a long sleeved black shirt, and jeans. She also had on a pair of boots that went up almost to her knees, and matched the pouch she wore around her waist.

"Who're you?" Drew questioned.

"My name is Yellow, and this is Chuchu." She said motioning to the Pikachu on her shoulder.

"Pika!" The Pokemon cried out happily.

"I guess I owe you a thanks for saving us." He said with a nod in their direction.

"No problem. Helping those in need is what we do best. Right, Chuchu?" She stated happily to her partner, who excitedly agreed.

As she finished her sentence, two Wynaut walked over to them offering a couple of Liechi berries.

"Are these for us?" May asked.

"Wynaut!" The small Pokemon replied.

"Thanks," Drew and May said as they accepted the berries.

"Have you ever had a Liechi berry before?" Yellow asked them. They both shook their head no. "Oh you'll love them. They're absolutely the best berries in the whole world!" With that said, the blond girl took a large bite out of a berry and chewed it quickly with a moan of delight.

Following her lead, the other two each took a bite of their own berry. Yellow was right, the berry was really good, at least for a second. Both teen's faces contorted in disgust as the after taste kicked in. May nearly spit hers back out.

"Wow, that's got a powerful after taste." Drew commented as he managed to get passed the sour taste and swallow his.

"Yeah, isn't it great?" Yellow said with delight. The two teens gave her questioning stares as she took another large bite with no problem, she certainly was a strange girl.

"Well, they sure make you feel strong!" May said with slightly forced enthusiasm.

The Wynaut all let out cries of agreement. This brought a smile to May's face, something about the berries and the Pokemon just seemed to make her happy. This didn't go unnoticed by Drew. He had a smile of his own as he watched the brunette girl's face light up, for what seemed like the first time in forever. They sat in silence for a while as they watched the Pokemon dance around the cave.

Finally, May decided to break the silence. "Um, Yellow?" She asked.

Yellow turned to acknowledge the bandanna wearing girl, with half a Liechi berry hanging out of her mouth. "Hm?" She questioned from behind the berry.

"Well, I heard this place was hard to get to. And I know there aren't really any people here." Yellow looked at her expectantly as she tried to find her words. "Well, I was just wondering, what are you doing on this island?"

Yellow paused for a split second and stared at the teens in front of her. May and Drew shifted uneasily under her gaze. She was ready to reply when they heard a strange noise outside. It sounded like there was a large storm going on.

"What is that?" May asked aloud as the they all stood up and faced the entrance of the cave where the noise was coming from.

Yellows eyes suddenly widened. "Oh no," She muttered under her breath and ran out of the cave.

The other two quickly followed after her. They all stood in disbelief outside of the cave when they saw the scene before them. There was a hot air balloon hovering above the island, with a large machine attached to it. The machine worked like a large vacuum and was sucking all of the liechi berries from the trees surrounding them.

"What are you doing?" Yellow yelled out angrily as she shielded her eyes from the dust flying around them while holding onto the hat on her head.

Three figures appeared from within the balloon. One was a man with dark green hair that was cut short, but had bangs that hung slightly over his eyes. The woman standing next to him was gorgeous, with long golden hair split into spiked out pony tails. The other woman was standing behind them, but it was hard to make out any of her features because she was wearing a hood.

"What does it look like we're doing? We're stealing these berries for The Oppression. Liechi berries are the perfect way to power up our Pokemon to wipe out the pathetic Defiance, don't you think?" The blond woman said in an angelic voice.

"Those liechi berries belong to the Wynaut!" May shouted over the sound of the machine.

"Not any more they don't. Full power!" The green haired man said in a deep voice.

With a nod of her head, the other woman played with some switches and the suction from the machine increased, also increasing the amount of berries they sucked up. The machine's suction was so strong the three found themselves being pulled toward it. Drew instantly grabbed a hold of a rock by the cave, and Yellow managed to grasp onto a nearby tree. Before she had a chance to grab anything, May found herself flying through the air with a scream, and into a large container full of liechi berries.

"Oh no!" Drew cried out as he watched his friend disappear.

"Um, I don't think we can feed a little twerp to Pokemon." The silent woman finally said as May was sucked into their machine.

"That's alright, we'll just sift her out at the end and give her as a little present to the boss." The golden haired woman told her with a wicked laugh.

"Sounds good to me, let's get out of here." The man said with a smirk. With that, the machine was turned off and the balloon started floating away.

As the balloon turned around, they could clearly see May behind the glass in the container with the liechi berries. She slammed her hand against the wall as she looked down at her friends bellow.

"May!" Drew called out in despair as he started running after her, Yellow was quick to run too.

Fortunately, the balloon started descending and disappeared into the trees on the other side of the island.

"It looks like they're landing. They must have a base set up on the other side of the island." Yellow commented.

Without a word Drew increased his pace and started running in the direction the balloon fell, Yellow following closely behind him.

* * *

><p><strong>So just in case you didn't notice, this chapter was based off of the Pokemon episode 'Who, What, When, Where, Wynaut?' It is easily my favorite Pokemon episode ever. So for that reason, I felt it needed to be included with this story. I even used some of May and Drew's lines because I love they way they interact with each other. As such, I don't take credit for most of this chapter, but hey, it was fun to write while watching the episode! ;) At least it made for a longer than usual chapter!<strong>

**Darquedeath4444: I'm not gonna lie, I really don't have the whole thing planned out yet. I'm just sort of writing it as I go along. So to be honest, I have no idea if Manaphy will pop up again. If I were going to guess, I'd say that yes, I probably will bring the little guy back in to help out our heroes at some point. :)**

**PolarDawn: Thank you Thank you Thank you! If I had it my way, May and Drew would be all over each other already, but I feel that romance will take a little time to bloom, not to mention that Drew has such an obvious crush, but can't even notice his own feelings. And yeah, I actually noticed that there hasn't been much Gary and Leaf. When I planned out this story contestshipping was my main goal, and I wasn't even going to include the other two, but then I felt it needed more main characters. I've found that with all four of them together, I write more Drew and May moments, so hopefully with the group split up, I'll find it easier to get some Gary/Leaf moments! Oh and don't worry, Drew's secrets will be spilled, and they will get some serious scolding when they get caught. ;)**

**DisasterButterfly: Did I really create a Silver/Lyra shipper with that one scene? It's every writers dream! But seriously, thank you. I was actually a little nervous writing their little moment in the prison. I'm glad it touched you so much :D**


	13. Chapter 13

"I'm not sure I understand." Clair stated as she eyed Red questioningly.

Red nearly squirmed under her fierce gaze, but managed to keep his composure. After all, if there was one thing Red was known for, it was being stoic. "What is there to not understand? We're leaving, simple as that." He answered her.

A knowing smile crossed her face. "You know, just a few days ago you were telling me that your squad is no where near being ready." As she said this, she made her way from around her desk, and stalked toward the man in front of her. "And now, you expect me to understand that you're suddenly okay with leaving today?" She stopped in front of him to stare directly into is eyes.

Red's expression mimicked hers as he stared back, his gaze never faltering. "Yes." Was his short reply.

Seeing that he wasn't about to give in, Clair let out a sigh. "Well seeing that it's your choice, I can't really stop you." She informed him. "But know this. Those kids are your responsibility, whether they live or die is on you."

"Ah." He confirmed as he turned around. That was all he needed to hear. With that, he made his way out of the tent and was off to collect his things and meet up with the two squad members he had left.

"I mean it Red!" Clair yelled after him. "You have to look after those kids!"

Red sighed as he stuffed his hands in his pocket. "Yeah, that's the problem." He muttered quietly to himself.

The three soon stood outside of their home base with their belongings all gathered on their backs.

"So, how are we following after them? Odds are they rode on Flygon, we'll never catch them." Leaf pointed out to her leader.

Red turned his gaze to acknowledge her before bringing his hand to his lips and whistling a short tune. A few seconds later, a group of Pidgeot flew toward them and landed a few feet away. The Pokemon stared at the three humans, waiting for a command.

"You have a team of Pidgeot?" Leaf asked in amazement.

Gary rolled his eyes at the girl before answering sarcastically, "No stupid, they belong to the base. Lots of wild bird Pokemon are trained at bases to transport base members different places quicker. I thought you were the smart one?" He derided.

"Oh, yeah. I knew that." She said feeling embarrassed in front of her squad leader.

Red didn't say a word to them as he made his way over to the nearest Pidgeot, offering his hand. The Pokemon stared him down before bringing its head down to be petted. He complied as he ran his hand through the bird's feathers.

"I'd like to request a ride to the Hoenn region, if it's not too much trouble." He said to the bird. The Pidgeot considered it and with a nod of its head, the Pokemon lowered itself for him to climb on its back. He easily jumped on and turned toward the other two. "Your turn. Do it exactly like I did." He told them.

With an eager nod, Leaf made her way to the Pidgeot on her right. Following her leader's example, she held out her hand and waited for the Pokemon to lower his head for her to pet. She gently ran her fingers through the light feathers.

"Do you think you could give me a ride to the Hoenn region? I'd really appreciate it." She said with a brilliant smile. The Pokemon let out a cry of agreement and lowered himself for her to climb on.

Now it was Gary's turn. He decided to go straight up to the closest Pidgeot, his hand held out, but he didn't wait for the Pokemon to lower its head. "Hey, I need a ride to the Hoenn region." He said with a cocky grin. Who'd have thought you could tame a wild Pidgeot to give out rides? He could go anywhere he wanted. However, the Pokemon didn't seem to like his attitude, and instead of lowering its head, the Pidgeot raised its head high and with a flap of its wings, knocked Gary over. With that, the other wild birds flew away.

Red sighed from on top of his Pokemon. "Now that was the way _not _to do it." He scorned. "They're wild Pokemon, they give rides out of their own free will to those they deem likable. Clearly you're not likable."

Now it was Leaf's turn to roll her eyes. "Why are you so lame?" She scoffed.

With no other Pokemon willing to give him a lift, Gary was left sitting behind Leaf on her Pidgeot, much to his embarrassment. He was supposed to be the smooth playboy, so why was the girl the one giving him the ride? How humiliating.

* * *

><p>Drew and Yellow ran swiftly through the forest in their desperation to get to May. Drew wasn't completely worried, May was strong, she could take care of herself. He was, however, a little curious about the girl running next to him. Clearly she was on this island for a reason.<p>

"So you knew they'd be here?" Drew finally broke the silence.

Yellow glanced at him from the corner of her eye, and pierced her lips. "Yes." She answered as she gracefully leaped over a fallen tree in her path.

"Explain." He demanded with a glanced in her direction. The two stared at each other, never losing their quick pace.

Finally Yellow let out a sigh, "I'm a part of the Defiance, but since you are too, I guess you probably already figured that." She started.

Drew nodded his head in agreement. He saw the blue crystal hanging around her neck when he first saw the girl. She may be a bit strange, but he could tell she was smart, of course she'd be able to figure out they were also part of The Defiance.

"As you know, leichi berries are very rare, and are incredibly powerful berries. The attack boost they give can be terrifying if used by the wrong people." She explained. Drew once again nodded, he already knew these facts, and he pretty much figured out the rest of the story. "Mirage Island is usually impossible to get to, but during this week every year, the mist fades, and the whirlpools surrounding the island lessen. This allows people to access the island. We got word that The Oppression was plotting to come here and take the berries so they would be able to use them for their own cause. I'm here to stop them."

While Drew predicted the reason that The Oppression was here, there was still one thing that had him confused. Why did The Defiance send only one small girl? There was just no way this girl, who was smaller than even May, and her Pikachu, were capable of stopping three elites from The Oppression. Not to mention the fact that they probably had a team of grunts waiting for them where they landed. Then again, last time he underestimated someone with a Pikachu, he was humiliated by his jerk of a squad leader. If anything, he was a little excited to see just what the blond girl could do.

After running for what seemed like an eternity to Drew, the two finally spotted the balloon. They slowed their pace and climbed into some nearby trees to get a good look at what they were up against. There appeared to be around ten grunts along with the three elites. They were all gathered around the large container of berries, clearly pleased with their work. Finally Drew spotted May. She was gagged and tied up, hanging from a tree, the golden haired woman was standing in front of her, tossing May's crystal up and down in her hand as May glared.

"So what's the plan?" Drew questioned Yellow.

She remained silent for a minute as she thought through the possible scenarios. Without a word she pulled out two thick black gloves from her pocket and slipped them on her small hands. Drew thought this was a little strange, but didn't question it. "If I create a distraction, do you think you can come up from behind and get May?" She finally answered.

He firmly nodded his head in response and she replied with a smile."Great," with that said, she jumped down from the tree and disappeared into the woods.

"She really is weird," He commented to himself as he climbed down the tree and made his way to his position. He didn't know what kind of distraction she was planning, but he was betting that he wouldn't be disappointed.

Of course, he wasn't. He had positioned himself hidden in the brush, right behind where May was hanging from the tree, and waited. Not a minute later, Yellow appeared from within the trees. For a split second she scanned the forest, as if trying to pinpoint his location, but then turned her attention to the grunts. Drew was rather shocked with her brash plan. There was no use of the element of surprise, heck, it almost seemed to him like she didn't even really think up a plan. Why in the world did she just jump out and expose herself to them?

The grunts all turned their attention to the small girl now standing before them. Most of their expressions were that of amusement, though some just looked confused. Just who did this girl think she was?

"Oh, so you actually chased after us? That's cute." The golden haired woman mocked, turning her attention from May to Yellow. "Where's your green haired friend? Don't tell me he ran away with his tail between his legs?" A beautiful and deadly smirk crossed her features. "Not that I blame him. You don't stand a chance against us." She added.

Much to the blond's annoyance, Yellow smiled at her words. It was a cute smile, but at the same time it looked so menacing. Without taking her eyes off of her opponents, Yellow reached down to her boots. From within them, she pulled out eight metal objects. Everyone watching her tensed, wondering just what those objects were. With a flick of her wrists, the metal objects unfolded into eight boomerangs. They weren't normal, they seemed to have sharp edges and almost looked like she had bent some swords and turned them into boomerangs. Now her gloves made sense to Drew, they were keeping them from slicing into her hands. Now she really had their attention, just what was she planning on doing with those?

"Look little girl, we don't have time to play with your toys." The green haired man said in a bored manner, and then motioned to the grunts to attack.

With the wicked grin never leaving her face, Yellow threw the boomerangs into the group of grunts. They all winced, but much to their surprise, not one grunt was hit. They all laughed at the fact that she couldn't even aim. This only made the smile on her face grow as the boomerangs came back around. "Now Chuchu!" She called to her partner. The Pikachu then jumped off of her shoulder and unleashed a powerful electric attack toward the nearest boomerang. This conducted an electric current that traveled to the next boomerang, and from there to the next one, until they were all connected. Once they were all connected, they created a large electric field. Unfortunately for the group of grunts, they were caught in the middle of it, and were effectively zapped by the large current of electricity.

When the boomerangs came back to her, Yellow caught them with ease, one by one, stopping the electricity. Drew noted that her gloves must have had something that didn't conduct the electricity. Not that that minor detail was important, he was still amazed that the small girl had managed to take out ten grunts with one attack. It really was no wonder she was the only one The Defiance sent.

The three elites all remained in place, not even looking phased by Yellow's impressive attack. Taking out a group of grunts wasn't that impressive to them. After all, the grunts were worthless to them. However, something about this girl did seem off.

After staring at Yellow for what seemed like an eternity, the Green haired man's eyes widened. "I know who you are." He said as he unsheathed his sword. His sentence alerted the other two, who copied his action, despite not knowing just who the young girl was. To them, she was just a tiny girl that was in over her head.

"What are you talking about Butch?" The blond beauty questioned her green haired companion.

"I've only heard rumors, but she certainly matches the description of one of the elites in the Defiance." Butch answered her.

May and Drew's eyes widened at this. Yellow was an elite? Well it made sense, she was talented.

"T-that's right. Now I remember her. There were two other boys with her, but she's definitely part of the group who took out Giovanni." The golden haired women said as she looked around in fear.

"Cassidy, I think we should let this one go." Butch stated with a glance in Yellow's direction. It didn't appear that her other powerful friends were around, but he never could be too sure. It wasn't so much that he was afraid, but he did know when he was beat, and if this girl helped take out a man that was twice as strong as him, then he didn't want to waste his time in a fight he couldn't win.

This seemed to anger his blond comrade. Them retreat? "Is that a joke?" Cassidy questioned him with a look of disgust. "Butch and Cassidy don't run from a fight." She told him in a firm tone. "I, for one, am not afraid of a little girl with no sword." As she said this, Cassidy raised her sword toward Yellow, as if to challenge her. "I'd like to see this pipsqueak defeat me."

Yellow firmly held a boomerang in each of her hands, clearly willing to accept Cassidy's challenge. A large Houndoom and a Hitmontop came from the sidelines and stood ready to fight, clearly belonging to Butch and Cassidy. Chuchu jumped from Yellow's shoulder, ready to take on the challenge.

Drew figured this would be as good a time as any to make his move, but as soon as he moved to stand up, a voice made him freeze in place.

"Did you really think we didn't notice you over there?" The woman under the hood finally spoke up.

Yellow tensed as her eyes flickered to the area she knew Drew would be hiding. How had that woman noticed? Not even Yellow knew exactly where Drew had hidden, he was just _that _good at being quiet.

Drew's jaw clenched as he stood up from his place behind the bushes. He eyed the woman that singled him out. She looked _so _familiar to him, but he couldn't quite figure out how he knew her. It wasn't until she removed her hood that his heart nearly leaped to his throat.

Jessie stood before him, her long pink hair blowing in the wind now that it was freed. Her piercing gaze had Drew frozen where he stood. May's eyes also rounded in surprise, shock evident in her features.

"You're supposed to be..." Drew tried, but couldn't seem to finish his sentence.

"Dead?" Jessie finished for him. "Well next time, make sure you aim to kill." As she said this, she pulled down the collar of her shirt to reveal a still healing wound on her shoulder.

May glared from her spot hanging from the tree. Aiming to kill was exactly what she had done. She was so sure that her arrow had pierced Jessie in the heart, but apparently she aimed a little too high. As she was thinking this, Drew was scolding himself for not making sure that she was dead. He pulled out his sword and looked around nervously, if she was here, how sure could he be that he really killed James? Then again, he did drive his sword through the man personally, he doubted anyone could survive that. He was so preoccupied with his thoughts, he almost missed the large snake Pokemon that leaped toward him from the tree to his right. With a grunt, he rolled out of the way just in time to avoid the Seviper's fangs. Using the motion from his roll, he managed to get quickly back to his feet and hold out his sword defensively. The Seviper stared him down, its tongue slithering at him in a taunting manner.

Drew looked back and forth between the snake and Jessie. Judging by the wicked grin she wore, the Pokemon belonged to her. But Drew could have swore that Jessie's Pokemon was an Arbok. Then again, he did recall the Pokemon abandoning its trainer. If that were the case, was she actually able to bond with a new Pokemon? That was certainly something that didn't happen often.

The Seviper launched another attack, which Drew once again managed to avoid. As he regained his defensive stance he cursed to himself. He was hoping he wouldn't have to get his Pokemon involved in this fight. After all, Flygon had spent hours flying them to this island, and they were going to need him to fly the rest of the way to Hoenn as well. However, given his current circumstances, Drew didn't really see any other option. He pulled the crystal from inside his shirt and held it out, with a flash of light, his Flygon appeared.

The large dragon Pokemon hovered defensively in front of his partner, his gaze fixed on the slithery Pokemon before him. Seviper instantly lunged forward and it was all Flygon needed to power up a dragon tail attack and slam the snake into the ground. Drew knew Flygon didn't need him to give directions, so he turned his attention back to the pink haired women, that he had somehow ended up a lot closer to.

The two held their swords in front of them and circled each other.

"You know, I didn't notice it the first time I met you." Jessie finally spoke, breaking the silence.

Drew raised a brow from her comment. "Notice what?" He questioned. He heard the sound of metal clashing and his eyes flickered over to where Yellow and Cassidy had started their fight. Yellow clearly had the upper hand, despite the fact that her only weapons were the two boomerangs she held in her hands. However, the boomerangs seemed to work as well as daggers. If Cassidy's sword got too close, Yellow would simply parry it away with the small metal object in her hand. That was, of course, if Cassidy could even come close to hitting her. Yellow was quick and small, by the time Cassidy could swing her sword, Yellow had already moved. She would then use Cassidy's falter as a chance to attack. Her attacks with her boomerangs were quick and precise, not causing too much damage, but were still effective. It really was a no wonder she was alone, not only were her boomerangs deadly from afar, but they were also just as effective in hand to hand. Noticing his partner's distress, Butch rushed in to give her aid. Yellow managed to parry off his attack, but then received a cut to her arm from Cassidy. She let out a hiss as she jumped back, distancing herself from the two.

Drew's attention was once again brought back to Jessie as she came in for an attack. He let out a grunt of annoyance as he easily stopped her attack and their swords clashed in an x-shape. The two stared at each other from across the swords, neither one really trying to gain an upper hand.

"Green hair, green eyes, your partner Pokemon is a Flygon." Jessie listed with a smirk. "I think you know what I'm getting at. You're a wanted boy." Her words seemed to spark something in Drew.

"Tch." He muttered as a reply, using his body weight to push her back. She stumbled back a few steps before she regained her composure.

"Did I hit a sensitive subject?" She mocked, but her eyes widened slightly at his response. Something about his eyes darkened, she didn't remember his gaze being so foreboding.

Drew smirked sarcastically back at her, "Not really. Flygon is a pretty common Pokemon, and so are green eyes." He stated nonchalantly. Now it was his turn for a frontal attack. He surged forward with a multitude of attacks. Jessie was completely on the defensive as Drew pushed her back, further from the others. Any attempt she made at fighting back was quickly brushed away by his fierce swordsmanship. He managed to get his sword through the handle of hers, and with a flick of his wrist, her sword flew through the air and he easily caught it. In a quick motion, he swung his sword low and caused her to trip. Jessie was sprawled out on the ground as Drew stood over her, a dark smirk still on his face. "As for the hair. Who knows, maybe I dye it?" He added.

His expression turned into a glare as he pointed his sword at her neck. "Should I make sure you die this time?" He asked her in a dark tone.

"Go ahead. He's already caught wind of you. You can run, but he'll hunt you down." She told him as she returned his glare with a scowl of her own.

Drew's glare turned even darker, a look so ominous and daunting, it sent chills down her spine. That evil look, there was no doubt this was the boy they were looking for. No one else could make such an expression that shot fear from merely one glance. "Who the hell said I was running?" He questioned with a scowl. "In fact, I'm waiting for my chance against him." Her eyes widened slightly from his words as he brought the sword high above his head. "So then, he can die by my hand." With that said, he brought the sword down, silencing her forever. He pulled the sword from her chest and flicked the blood from it before turning away and heading back toward the others.

May nearly panicked as she saw Drew disappear into the forest with Jessie. While it looked like he had the upper hand, there was no telling how it could end. She was also concerned about the look on his face. She only saw it briefly before he disappeared, but she had never seen such an ominous expression on his face before. Her attention was drawn to what she _could_ see, when she heard a cry of pain. Yellow now had multiple cuts scattered across her body, but she continued to stand her ground. However, it was easy to see that, even with her skills, two against one were not good odds. Meanwhile, Chuchu had managed to paralyze the Houndoom, and was now fighting it out with Hitmontop. Flygon and Seviper were still going at it, but it seemed obvious to May that Seviper wouldn't last much longer against the fierce dragon type.

Finally Drew reappeared from the forest, he was carrying two swords and his clothes had light speckles of blood, a clear indication to May that he had finished what she was not able to. His eyes fell on May and he started toward her with a sprint. Butch noticed this from the corner of his eye and let out a growl of frustration. So Jessie had failed huh? Well he would make sure to do what she couldn't. With a nod to Cassidy, he made his way to intercept the green haired boy.

Drew skid to a halt a few feet away from May as the older man blocked his path.

"I'm afraid that's as far as you go." Butch stated. Drew's eyes looked back and forth from May to Butch. He gripped Jessie's sword tightly in his hand as he made his plan. Butch noticed his eye movement and sneered. "You're never going to make it passed me to free her." He warned.

This was the only push Drew needed. In a swift motion he threw Jessie's sword with full force. The weapon flew right passed Butch's head, slicing through a few hairs on its way. Butch froze on the spot, had the sword been any closer, he'd have lost his head. In order to cover up his surprise, he let out a low laugh. "You missed." He mocked.

Drew's only response was a cocky smirk, a simple "Hn," and a flick of his hair. Butch turned around to find that Drew wasn't aiming for him. Instead, the sword had pierced through the rope holding May, and she gracefully landed free on her feet. She removed the cloth in her mouth, and with a smirk, went for her bow and arrows that were nestled under the tree next to her. Butch couldn't move as he realized he'd been outsmarted by a mere child. Not to mention the fact that his aim was perfect. How could anyone have that kind of skill? He then noticed the green hair, then the Flygon, and realized just who this boy probably was. He certainly looked to be the right age, and those eyes, they were HER eyes. His only thought now was that he had to live. He had to live and deliver this information.

May wasted no time in drawing her bow and taking aim at the man before her. Her gaze was fierce, ready to kill at the slightest of movement. It was almost hard for her to believe that she had trouble killing when their school was first attacked, now she would do it without thinking twice if it meant keeping her important friends safe.

"Wait, please. Please don't shoot." Butch begged, his hands raised in surrender. Cassidy looked over to him, a mixture of horror and disbelief on her face. Was he seriously begging for his life? _Her_ Butch? He'd stared death in the face many times without fear, why was he begging now? Clearly there was more to the situation than she knew. With reluctance she looked toward her Pokemon.

"Houndoom, smog attack!" She ordered. Despite being paralyzed, the Pokemon managed to create a thick cloud of poisonous gas. Everyone was quick to cover their mouths in an attempt not to breath it in.

The elite Oppression members took the opportunity to escape to their balloon with their Pokemon in tow.

"Flygon!" Drew managed to call to his Pokemon in between coughs. Using his powerful wings, Flygon blew away the gas to reveal the Elites getting away in their balloon. May instantly readied her bow and took aim, but was stopped by Yellow.

"Let them go. We have the berries, as well as their grunts. They're not worth any extra effort." She said with a sigh.

"But they have-" May started, but was cut off by Yellow holding up her crystal. "Blaziken!" She finished with relief as she lowered her bow. With a smile, Yellow handed May her most precious item. She didn't know what she would've done if she'd lost her best friend. With the situation finally under control, Yellow flopped herself on the ground with a content sigh.

"Well that was exciting huh?" She said as more of a statement than a question. The two teens gave her questioning stares as she smiled happily to herself. She really was a strange girl.

May clutched her crystal and looked over their surroundings. As Yellow had said, the container full of berries was safe, and the ten grunts that Yellow had knocked out were still unconscious on the ground. While Chuchu and Flygon had a few scratches, both Pokemon seemed fine. Yellow looked like a mess. Her hair had fallen out of her ponytail and her hat was long forgotten under a tree. Her clothes were a little torn and her body was full of scratches and forming bruises. Drew on the other hand didn't have a scratch on him. But there was something about him that worried May, he seemed like he was upset about something.

"Are you okay?" She asked him warily.

His eyes flickered over to meet hers. "Of course, why wouldn't I be?" He inquired. Her expression showed that she had caught on to his currently unstable emotions. So he decided to poke fun to get her mind on something else. "After all, you were the damsel in distress, not me." He added with a flick of his hair.

Any concern she had for him was instantly erased as her stare turned icy. "Shut up! I had it all under control!" She retorted defensively.

"Was that before or after you were tied to the tree?" He ridiculed.

Her anger caused her face to turn a light shade of red. "I was just going along with it so you could play hero and feel better about yourself." She bit back.

"Oh?" He sneered as he took a step toward her. "So where's my thank you kiss Princess?" He teased as he put his face directly in front of hers.

Her expression was one of surprise before she scowled and turned her head away. "C-cut it out you jerk." Her face then turned red for a whole different reason as she stammered.

Yellow finally sat up as she watched their interaction. "Oh, so you guys are a couple?" She concluded.

The two looked to each other and then quickly looked away, a light shade of pink on each of their faces. "As if," they both muttered.

* * *

><p>Footsteps echoed loudly through the large halls as a man walked hurriedly through them, eager to get to his destination. Surely his king will be very pleased with the news that he had. Just the thought of telling the king, and getting on his good side, was enough to make the man quicken his pace. He finally arrived in front of two very large doors that were slowly opened upon his arrival. As soon as they were open, he briskly walked into the throne room and stopped in front of the only piece of furniture in the large area. On it sat a grumpy looking middle aged man, his hair was a light green and fell in waves past his shoulders. Three stocks of hair stuck out from his head, one in the front, and one on each side. He was dressed in exquisite robes, and a dazzling crown was perched on his head.<p>

The proud king stared lazily down at the grunt before him. At his gaze, the man was quick to kneel before his master.

"What is it you want?" The King asked in a bored manner. He was a busy man, and didn't have time to deal with the trivial matters of worthless grunts.

"My Lord, I bring you news of the endeavor on Mirage Island." The grunt reported.

The King raised a brow, well this certainly was information worth hearing. "I hope it is a good report. I assume they retrieved the berries I asked for?"

The grunt froze from his words. Of course. He had completely forgotten there was bad news attached to his good news. Surely the King will be furious to know that they failed.

"W-well not quite, your Majesty, it would seem that there was a complication." He replied timidly.

As the grunt predicted, the King was quite upset. "You impudent fools! I sent three of my best, how could they have possibly failed to obtain berries from a deserted island?!" He shouted in rage causing all bodies in the room to flinch.

The grunt attempted to swallow the lump in his throat before speaking again. "It would appear that the Defiance caught word of our plans, and sent a team of their own."

"Those blasted pests. Do they not know who they are dealing with? I will crush that pathetic excuse of a rebellion if it's the last thing I do!" The King raged. The grunt before him froze in fear as the King stood up. "You know I don't like being brought bad news." The King told the grunt in a dark tone.

Fearing for his life, the grunt quickly jumped up. "B-but there is some good news M'Lord." He managed to say.

"Oh?" The King questioned, clearly not believing such. It was obvious the man was just afraid for his life.

"It was reported that among the group who interrupted our plans, was an exceptionally skilled green haired boy, with a Flygon." The grunt held his breath as the King froze.

"What was that?" The King demanded, turning his full attention to the grunt before him.

The grunt managed to smile to himself as the King seemed to calm down. "It would appear the rumors were true, Sire."

The King had a smile of his own as the news sank in, but his held so many more evil intentions. "Well now, that IS good news." As he said this, he lowered himself back onto his throne. His wicked smile was still on his face as he rubbed his chin in thought.

"We'll need to handle this matter swiftly then." He said mostly to himself before turning, once again, back to the grunt. "Bring me Hunter J. I have a job for her."

* * *

><p><strong>Phew, this chapter was a beast, I think it's the longest one yet, I wanted to finish it sooner, but I kept adding things to it. Even now I'm thinking of things that could've been put in, but oh well. So Drew got a little dark and scary for a second there. I actually really like writing him that way, it adds to his attractiveness in my opinion. Oh and fret not, all of his secrets will be spilled pretty soon. Though I wonder if anyone has any guesses as to what it is yet. I really like Yellow, she is a small and cute girl, but she is anything but defenseless. What do you think of her and her choice of weapon? Hopefully there'll be more Red, Leaf, and Gary next chapter. Well anyway, hope this chapter was worth the wait! Let me know what you thought. As always, thanks to all you wonderful readers!<strong>

**Guess who: I'm not sure if that's the name you go by, or if you actually wanted me to guess who you were? Anyway, I'd just like to say that you are the first person to comment on the fact that I made Ash a weakling! Thank you for noticing. I say this because I did it on purpose. However, *potential spoiler* I did it simply to show how hard Hoenn has fallen. Ash will be making another appearance, and I think you'll like the result. Besides, I thought he was still pretty cool when he took on the leadership role last time we saw him. As to the other part, I do like all the other shippings too and would have loved to include them as main characters, but I feel like that would've been too many for me to properly handle. I don't even think I can manage with the mains I have now, maybe that's the reason I split them up... Thanks for your review, I'm glad you like it!**

**TVprogramsfan: Thank you very much! I'm glad you feel that way, sometimes I get worried they're too out of character, but then I guess in this dark world there are bound to be some personality changes too. I'm glad you like the way I'm writing them! :)**

**I'll Break Your Heart: Thank you times a million! I always appreciate reading your reactions to different parts of the story, mostly because it's exactly how I feel as I write it. And yes, May and Drew have come pretty far since the beginning. There's more of a sense of concern for each other, and a need to protect one another, not just out of obligation, but because they genuinely care, even if they can't admit it. I think this was more true for May when they fell into the river. She realized just how much she relies on Drew, and just how important he is to her, which you'll be seeing more of her thoughts on this later.**

**Ilypikachuu: Let me start by saying I love your username. :) Boy did your review make me smile! I'm glad you're liking all the shipping, I feel like I'm throwing in a lot of ships in this story, but there are so many in the Pokemon series that I love and I feel they all need a shout out. I'm really honored by your praise of my writing. Honestly, I think I'm a pretty mediocre writer, there are so many aspects I need to improve on, but I'm glad that you like it. No worries, I don't plan on quitting this story any time soon. Updates may take a while due to my school work, but I try my best. As to the specialshipping, well I think that question will be answered fairly soon. ;)**


	14. Chapter 14

May and Drew watched in silence as Yellow finished the knot she was tying. All ten grunts were tied up to a tree, thankfully still unconscious.

"So what are you going to do with them?" May questioned.

Yellow brushed her hands together to remove any dirt as she turned her attention to May. "Well, there are still three more days before the mist comes back, so I have to stay and watch the island just in case those goons try anything else." She answered. Her finger tapped her chin as if thinking. "So I guess I'll have Roderick send word out to the main land to send in someone to pick these grunts up." She added thoughtfully.

"Roderick? The old man?" Drew inquired, thinking back to the old man they met earlier that day.

Yellow's face lit up from his words. "Oh you met him?"

"Yeah, right before we fell over that waterfall." May replied.

Yellow nodded her head, "Roderick is a good man. He was the one that gave me a ride out here. He may only be a civilian, but he has helped out our cause a lot." It was then that Yellow realized, she never did ask the two teens just what they were doing on the island. After all, she was there for a mission, but it was a bit strange for two young Defiance members to show up out of the blue. Looking at them closer, they didn't look old enough to be out doing missions on their own. Though she couldn't judge age based on looks, considering she herself looked like a preteen despite the fact she was in her twenties. "So, where are you guys headed to now?" She questioned, eager to get some answers.

The two turned to look at each other in concern. Obviously they couldn't tell her the truth. They were runaways, if they got caught it would be bad news.

"Uh, we're..." May tried, but couldn't seem to come up with a lie. Luckily for them, Drew was a pretty good smooth talker.

"We're on our way to Hoenn to help with the rebellion there." He stated calmly.

May nearly let out a sigh of relief. He was always so composed.

Yellow frowned as she eyed the two of them, May's reaction to her question was a little strange. "I see. You both don't really look experienced enough to be going somewhere so dangerous on your own." She commented.

Now May was really panicked. Did she figure it out? Was she going to turn them in? Were they going to get busted before they even made it back to Hoenn? Max was nearly in reach. Now who was going to save her brother?

"Of course we are." Drew said in a very nonchalant manner that had May nearly choke on her own spit from surprise. Even Yellow's eyes widened, she hadn't expected him to so openly confess. She was expecting some well thought out lie. "We're meeting our squad leader in Fortree City." He finished.

Yellow's frown returned from his words. "And why is your squad leader not with you now? Where is the rest of your squad?" She inquired. She didn't really like nagging like an adult, but she was a little worried about the two of them being off on their own.

"Well you see, our squad leader can be a bit of an idiot some times." He replied. It took all May had not to laugh from his reply. Without Red around, Drew certainly had nothing stopping him from saying how he really feels. "When we left, he had forgotten the special herbs we were supposed to be taking." Drew stole a glance at May before continuing. "But of course, him being the arrogant person he is, he didn't want the higher ups to know he made such a huge mistake. So in order to cover it up, he sent us on ahead while he went back with our two squad mates." At this point, Drew was really starting to get into his little tale. "See his story will be that on our way, we were attack by bandits who wanted to steal our herbs, and our two squad mates were kidnapped. So our squad leader sent us on ahead for help while he saved them and the herbs. Thus making him a hero, and us look like cowards. But what can you do?" With this said Drew shrugged his shoulders as if having a horrible squad leader was a common occurrence. "Our squad leader is a pretty selfish jerk, but as his pupils, we have no choice but to let him use us as he sees fit." May raised a brow, boy was he good.

Yellow was a bit surprised by his story. The two teens eyed her wearily as she stared them down. Neither one even blinked as they waited for her to reply. "What a terrible squad leader!" She finally exclaimed. "How dare he only care about his own image. Does he have any idea how dangerous Hoenn is? And he's just sending you on ahead all alone just because he can't own up to his own mistakes?" She ranted.

May and Drew looked to each other in relief. Honestly, they couldn't believe that actually worked. Either Yellow was really gullible, or Drew was just THAT good at telling stories, May had a feeling that it was the first thing.

"Well let's go find Roderick. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to give you a lift to Hoenn." Yellow declared.

The teens happily agreed, taking a boat meant Flygon wouldn't be forced to fly them the rest of the way. This was especially relieving to May, the thought of flying again put knots in her stomach. The berries were returned to the Wynaut, and they found Roderick soon after. He was very relieved to see the two unharmed after their fall down the waterfall. He also agreed to take them to Hoenn, saying he'd be more than happy to help out a couple of youngsters.

"Be careful out there you guys." Yellow told them as they stood at the forest line with Roderick.

They both nodded their head. "You too. It was really nice to meet you. And thanks for saving me." May told the smaller girl. Yellow smiled that cute smile and pulled the brunette in for a hug.

"Of course! I hope your squad leader gets what's coming to him." She said as she pulled away. At her words, Drew had to turn his head to hide his smile.

May let out an awkward laugh as she quickly looked anywhere but at Yellow. "Yeah, I'm sure he will." She said in a high pitched voice. She never was a very good liar. Yellow turned her attention to Drew and stared at him for a minute before throwing her arms around him as well.

"Wow, you're actually really soft!" She commented as she poked his cheek.

He was quick to swat her away as he muttered, "Cut it out." Causing Yellow to giggle. With that, they said their final goodbyes and headed to the shore where Roderick's boat waited while Yellow disappeared into the forest.

"Do you think he's still alive?" May asked Drew as they sat close to each other on Roderick's small boat. He had said he needed to grab something before they left, leaving the two alone waiting.

Drew's eyes flickered to the girl next to him. To be honest, he highly doubted it. Judging by how ruthless the grunts were toward the freshman at their school, he doubted it was any different at her brother's. Odds are, the kid's been dead for a while, but he couldn't bring himself to say that.

"I don't know," He muttered lowly. Who was he to crush what little hope she had? After all, he DID follow her all this way for the sole purpose of finding her brother. He still wasn't even sure WHY he did it when he knew the kid was probably dead. There was just something in her eyes that made him want to keep that last spark of hope alive. This only added to the confusion he had about his feelings toward May. She was important to him, and yet it was a different important than what he felt toward, Leaf for example. While he cared for Leaf, he doubted he'd have done half the things for Leaf that he had done for May. Or would he? Maybe since Leaf had Gary around her, he didn't feel like she needed him to help her. Not to mention that May seemed to find trouble a lot more often than Leaf did. That had to be it, he was raised to be a gentleman after all, he couldn't NOT protect a girl, whether he had any kind of feelings for her or not. And yet, to him, May WAS different than Leaf, and knowing this fact seemed to bother him. He sighed to himself as his brows creased. He really needed to get his thoughts together.

May eyed Drew nervously when he sighed. His expression looked annoyed. She wondered if it was because he was tired of hearing about her worrying? It was only natural to be worried, wasn't it? Then again, he wasn't forced to come with her. In fact, she was still unsure of his reason for insisting he come with her. Whatever the reason was, she couldn't deny that he had been helpful. May's thoughts drifted back to her and Drew stuck in the current. If Yellow hadn't pulled them out, would they have drowned? Honestly speaking, there was no way she would've been able to pull both of them out. She doubted she would've even been able to pull herself out, let alone an unconscious Drew. Talk about being worthless. Drew was completely right when he said that she wouldn't have gotten far without him. Thinking back to when the school was attacked, she wouldn't even be ALIVE if it wasn't for Drew. She then realized just how much she not only relied on Drew, but she NEEDED him. Not just in the fact that she needed him to help her find her brother, but she needed him in her life. When they first met, he was just this annoying presence that existed solely to make her life miserable. But now... now he was so much more to her. He gave her comfort, and a sense of safety that she didn't feel with anyone else. The thought of ever losing him made her sick. She wanted to make sure that a situation like the river never happened again. She vowed to herself to get stronger. It wasn't enough to want to protect someone, you need to be capable to do so. Drew had proven time and time again that he was more than capable of protecting her. Now it was her turn to protect him.

"Why are you staring at me?" Drew questioned, breaking her out of her thoughts. She hadn't even realized she had been staring blankly at him for some time.

She wasn't sure how to answer his question. Like she would admit that her thoughts had just been filled with how much she cares about him! Heck no! There's no way she'd ever give him THAT satisfaction.

"I was just wondering how you managed to get your face to look so much like a Stunfisk." She insulted.

She could faintly see his mouth twitch in annoyance from her comment. "Ah, much like I wonder how you mange to be as brainless as a Magikarp." He retorted with a cool smile.

"At least I'm not as dull as a Slowpoke!" She bit back.

"You want to talk about dull? You're about the equivalent of a Dunsparce." He sneered.

"Take that back you Garbodor!"

"Not a chance you Purugly."

"You're such a child!" May chastised.

This made Drew roll his eyes. "You started it bandanna." He reminded her.

"Humph, grasshead." She huffed.

"Ah, a young lover's quarrel." Roderick's voice suddenly chimed in, causing the two to instantly turn to him.

"We're not lovers!" They both yelled angrily, causing Roderick to chuckle as he climbed into the small boat.

"My apologies." He chuckled once again, taking his seat opposite of May and Drew. "Here." He said as he handed May a basked full of liechi berries.

Both teens stared at the basket in surprise.

"These are a gift from the Wynaut, for helping to retrieve their food source. I'm sure you'll use them well." He stated with a grin.

The two nodded in eager agreement. The berries certainly would be very helpful. They then watched, almost sadly, as the boat took off and the island started to shrink from their view. Their journey there was certainly one they'll never forget.

* * *

><p>"I REALLY think I'm going to be sick," Gary said for, what seemed like, the millionth time.<p>

"I swear, if you puke on me, I'm going to push you into the ocean." Leaf threatened.

"You don't understand, I belong on land. Flying, boating, surfing, whatever, they're all unnatural. Humans aren't meant to fly, it's why we don't have wings. Leave it to the Pokemon." He moaned over her shoulder.

Leaf's face nearly twitched in agitation. "We've been flying for hours. You've made it this long! So shut up and deal with it!" She yelled back to him.

"The only reason I've made it this long, is because I'm able to hold onto you so closely." He teased while leaning over her shoulder to whisper in her ear.

Leaf's face felt hot as he leaned up against her. "That's it!" She seethed. "I'm pushing you!" With this, she turned herself to grab him in an attempt to shove him off the Pokemon.

Red sighed to himself as he watched the two struggle. He was flying just above the two bickering teens, and was getting a little annoyed of hearing their non stop arguing/complaining for the passed few hours. He also concluded that the Pokemon they were riding must be getting a little tired by now. He scanned the area ahead for any sign of land so they could stop for a rest and get those two to shut up. Much to his relief, a small spec of land was coming into view. Though he found it a little strange. He'd traveled this route before and couldn't recall seeing the small island before. It only took him a minute to think before he realized that it must be the infamous Mirage Island. It certainly was a rare chance that the mist was cleared. He looked down to his two traveling companions to find they were still bickering.

"Hate to interrupt your argument, but there's an island up ahead. We're going to land for a rest." He shouted down to them.

Their fighting instantly ceased and their expressions were filled with joy. "Thank Arceus!" Gary cried out.

"I was thinking the same thing," Leaf muttered as she released her hold on Gary's neck and turned back around.

Within a few minutes, the group landed safely. Leaf and Red petted the Pokemon's heads in thanks, while Gary stretched his sore muscles.

"So where are we anyways?" Gary questioned as he turned his attention to his two companions.

"Mirage Island. It was actually pretty lucky. This place is only accessible for one week a year." Red informed him.

"Oh, I know this place. It's loaded with Liechi berries right?" Leaf asked her squad leader. He replied with a nod of his head. Her face brightened from the news. "Oh wow, I'd kill to get my hands on a few. Think of all the medicines I could make!" She added with excitement, staring down her squad leader.

Her eyes were practically begging him to let her explore for some berries, and well, who was he to turn her down? "I guess it wouldn't hurt to gather a few while we let the Pokemon rest." He said slowly as he glanced over at the now sleeping Pidgeot. It looked like it would be a while before they headed out anyways.

Leaf squealed in delight and pulled her crystal from around her neck to release her Ivysaur.

"What are you doing?" Gary questioned.

She only glanced at him from the corner of her eye before turning her attention fully to her Pokemon.

"Hey Ivysaur, wanna help me find some Liechi berries?" She asked him.

Her partner nodded his head with excitement. Berry hunting was a fun pass time that the trainer and Pokemon often did when they were younger.

"This time, it's a rare one." She told him as she pulled a small book out of her bag. This was a book that she always had with her, its pages were full of pictures and information on many different berries and herbs. "Here's the one we want." She added as she turned to a page and pointed at the berry in the picture. Peeko, who had been sleeping in Leaf's bag, poked her head out, clearly wanting in on the game. "You too Peeko!" Leaf encouraged.

The three were then off to the forest in search for the rare berry, Red and Gary followed casually after them.

The group had been walking for a while before Ivysaur started sniffing the air and took off. The others ran after the Pokemon, knowing he had to be smelling something. They came to a stop at a cliff with a river below it. Leaf saw a familiar yellow color over the edge and her face lit up.

"Look over there! Liechi berries!" Leaf exclaimed with excitement, running over to the edge of the cliff.

"Are you sure?" Gary asked skeptically, following closely behind her.

They neared the edge of the cliff to look over the side, neither noticing the unstable ground. However, their ever observant squad leader did.

"Watch out, that cliff-" His words were a second too late as the ground beneath their feet collapsed.

The two teens cried out as they started falling. In an instant, Ivysaur shot a vine down to his trainer. Leaf reached out her hand, but missed the vine. Fortunately, Gary managed to grab onto it, and then reached down to grab a hold of Leaf's out stretched hand. He clenched his teeth as he used all his strength to hold onto both the vine and Leaf, however, Leaf's hold wasn't as strong as his. Peeko grabbed onto Leaf's bag in an attempt to pull her up, but the small Pokemon couldn't help. Before Gary knew it, her hand slipped from his own, and she let out a cry as she fell into the river below them. Gary muttered a curse as he watched her resurface further down, struggling to keep her head above the water. Peeko followed after her, crying out while flying in circles above the brunette.

"Gary hold on!" Red yelled down to the teen as he helped Ivysaur start to pull the brunette up. In a split second decision, Gary released his hold on the vine, and allowed himself to fall into the water. From there he swam as fast as he could toward the struggling Leaf.

"That idiot." Red cursed as he ran after the two. He looked ahead and his eyes widened. "Swim to shore!" He yelled out to them. Gary had just made it to Leaf, and she instantly grabbed onto him to keep her head above the water, since he seemed to be fairing better than her. The two turned their attention to Red who was yelling at them from land. "You have to swim to shore! There's a waterfall right in front of you!" They finally heard his warning, but it was too late. The two looked on in horror as the waterfall came into their view. Neither had time to react as they were thrown over and fell into the water below.

Red stared in disbelief as his two squad members were thrown over the side of the waterfall. Despite his efforts, he couldn't see down the waterfall far enough to tell if either of them managed to resurface. Peeko also seemed to have lost site of them as she flew around the bottom of the waterfall, searching for any sign. How had he really managed to allow that to happen? First two of his members ran away, and now the other two were thrown off of a waterfall right in front of him. He seriously had to be the WORST squad leader of all time. He looked over to the Ivysaur next to him and was sure the Pokemon was thinking the same thing.

Gary's head popped out of the water seconds after they had fallen down the waterfall. He frantically looked around for any sign of Leaf, but only found her hat floating down the river. He swam over to it and grabbed it, but managed to get himself caught up in the current and was dragged around a corner. Around the corner he spotted a familiar brown and quickly swam toward an unconscious Leaf.

He hooked her arm over his shoulder in an attempt to keep her head above the water. Using all his strength he started fighting the current and started toward the shore, but with Leaf in his arms, the task was proving to be very difficult. In the corner of his eye he saw a yellow blur jumping through the trees. Before he knew what was happening, a small hand had grabbed a hold of Leaf to pull her out of the water. He was almost reluctant to hand her over to this stranger's hand, but figured if he didn't they'd both drown. He finally let her go, and whoever was hovering above them managed to pull her out of the water. This gave Gary the freedom to pull himself to shore. It took a good amount of strength, and he realized if it wasn't for, whoever just saved them, they would never have made it out. Once on land he frantically looked for Leaf, and found her a few feet away with a small girl wearing a hat. He ran to her side in an instant as the hat wearing girl looked her over, the hat still clutched in his hand was soon forgotten when the blond girl spoke up.

"She's not breathing!" The girl gasped.

Gary reacted quickly as he started chest compression's followed by two quick breaths and repeating the process. He was not about to lose her now, after all they've been through. The small girl watched in amazement at the determination Gary had in his attempt to resuscitate the girl beneath him.

"Come on Leaf, breathe!" He begged as he once again brought his mouth down on hers to give her two more breaths. Thankfully, this time, it worked.

She sputtered a few coughs as her eyes flew open and she attempted to cough out the water that was in her lungs. Her wide eyes landed on Gary hovering over her as she tried to catch her breath. She tried to ask what happened, but as soon she tried, it sent her into a fit of coughs. Gary had no words as he pulled the shaken girl into his arms, full of relief. He'd never been so afraid in his entire life.

"Wow, apparently this river has some kind of thing about nearly drowning couples." The small girl next to them mused.

Gary nearly forgot she was there. He turned to look at her over Leaf's head that was cradled under his chin. "What do you mean?" He questioned, ignoring her comment about them being a couple. If Leaf could speak, she probably would've flipped out at the assumption.

"Well you're the second pair that have fallen down that waterfall today." She informed him.

Gary's eyes widened. Could it have been? What were the chances? Then again, May and Drew had to have come this way, and surely they'd need to rest for a while. Not to mention, this was a deserted island. Who else could the girl possibly be referring to?

"Who were they?" He dared to ask.

The small girl gave him a curious expression. She didn't really think it mattered who they were... unless...

"Are you by chance... May and Drew's squad mates?" She asked the brunette boy.

Gary and Leaf could hardly believe their ears. She knew them? Then that means she must have just met them. They were so close!

"Y-you know them? How? Where are they?" Gary questioned as Leaf managed to pull herself up enough to eagerly stare at the yellow haired girl.

"I told you that you weren't the first ones to fall down that waterfall today." She replied with a shrug.

"What!?" Leaf managed to exclaim in a hoarse voice, sending herself into a fit of coughs.

Realizing how that must sound she quickly added, "But they're okay, I got them out just fine." The two teens sighed in relief at her reassurance.

"Where are they now?" Gary asked her.

She was ready to reply when she noticed Leaf was shivering a great deal.

"How about we talk about this at my camp so your girlfriend can warm up?" She said as more of a statement than a question.

Gary could practically feel Leaf scowl from the comment, but ignored it and instead helped the brunette girl up, allowing her to lean against him as they walked so they could follow the young blond to her camp. On the way she introduced herself as Yellow.

Yellow's camp was only a short walk away, but when they arrived, the two teens found more than they thought they would. The two stopped dead in their tracks as soon as the small camp came into view.

"W-What the heck? Why do you have a group of Oppression grunts tied to a tree in your camp?" Gary exclaimed as the group of ten grunts turned their attention to the three that just walked into camp.

Yellow gave him a questioning glance before looking to the tree where ten grunts were tied up. The group of grunts all looked to her and then back to the two teens.

"Oh, they're my prisoners." She stated casually, like it was normal to have ten grunts tied to a tree.

"I thought this island was deserted? Just who are you?" Gary questioned still not moving from his spot. He was starting to get a little suspicious. Now that he got a good look at her, she was covered in scratches and bruises like she had just been in a fight. Clearly it must have involved the ten men tied to the tree. He had a good mind to turn tail and run with Leaf over his shoulder, but this girl knew May and Drew, she could be their only chance of finding them.

"I guess I can see how this might seem a little strange." She mused to herself after a moment of thought. "Maybe I should just tell you the whole story, yeah?" She added motioning for them to come sit with her by the fire.

With that, Yellow told them everything from the moment she saved May and Drew from the river, to the moment they said their goodbyes.

"So they're on their way to Fortree City?" Leaf asked eagerly, her voice seemed to have come back in the time it took Yellow to tell her story.

Yellow nodded in response.

"Then lets find our arrogant squad leader and go after them!" Gary announced as he stood up.

"That reminds me, Drew told me some things about your squad leader." Yellow stated with a frown. She really felt like giving whoever that jerk was a piece of her mind.

The two were about to question just what she meant by that, but were interrupted by the sound of twigs cracking. They all turned their attention to an Ivysaur that came running toward them.

"Ivysaur!" Leaf exclaimed with joy as her Pokemon ran into her arms.

"Geez, there's no being stealthy walking around with that thing." Red sighed as he too came into sight. Peeko flew from around him and landed on Gary's shoulder, clearly happy to see both teens alive and well. "Thank goodness you guys aren't dead, Clair would've killed me." He said rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sorry we're such a nuisance to you." Gary replied with sarcasm. He heard a small gasp when Red finally came into view.

"Red?" Yellow whispered so lowly it was hard to hear, but the man heard her voice and stopped in his tracks, eyes wide.

"Yellow?" He responded in disbelief.

* * *

><p><strong>You guys, I am so sorry for how long this chapter took, I had the WORST case of writers block. Not to mention the Legend of Zelda and DBZ games that just came out, I got a little side tracked... :P Anyways, thanks a lot for being patient, and thanks to everyone that reviewed and favoritedfollowed last chapter, you guys are all awesome! :)**

**Guess Who: Thanks a lot! To answer your question, Pokeshipping already kinda showed up, and it may pop up again for a bit, but unfortunately it will not be a main ship in this story.**

**Tvprogramsfan: Thanks! Drew's whole back story is coming up pretty soon, I hope you'll like it.**

**Ilypikachuu: Sorry this update took so long, I hope it was worth the wait! Hehe, I think it's Yellow's thing to assume people are couples, I think it's just her daydreaming. I have to say, I really love Yellow's character. And don't worry, your Yellow and Red interaction will happen first thing next chapter.**

**I'll break your heart: Thank you! I tried my best to explain her fighting so it made sense. I think her fighting style is really unique, much like she is! Haha you'll have to wait a bit to find out if that guess was right. Is that you implying you miss Lyra and Silver? Don't worry, they'll be back eventually, but you may not like what you see... 0_0**


	15. Chapter 15

"Red!" Yellow exclaimed happily as she rushed over to the, still frozen in place, man. Her movement was so fast it caused her hat to fly off of her head. "I missed you so much!"

As soon as she reached him she threw her arms around him in a big hug, well big for her since she barely reached his shoulders in height. She was so excited to see him, she didn't even notice the fact that he wasn't hugging her back, or if she did, she didn't acknowledge it. However, his two squad members did. In fact, it was a little strange just how rigid he was, as if he had no idea how one should respond to being hugged. This was a little strange to them, considering they had seen Lyra hug him all the time back at the base, and he never responded in such a way. So what was it about this girl that had their squad leader reacting in such a way? It wasn't until Yellow pulled away that Gary noticed the faintest shade of pink on his squad leader's face. Now _that _was certainly interesting.

"So you finally came down from Mt. Silver huh? What changed your mind? Not that I'm not happy about it, I'm beyond happy! It's just that even when I begged you, you wouldn't budge. Not that I should be someone special, but I mean, we _were _squad mates after all. Not that that really means anything. I had just hoped that I meant a little more to you... But I don't mean that in a weird way! Oh geez, that's coming out weird." Yellow rambled.

Gary and Leaf were a little thrown off by the girl's quirky nature, but to Red it wasn't anything new. In fact, he realized at that moment just how much he had missed the small girl. After their squad mate had died and he'd secluded himself on that mountain, how had she fared? He remembered how much she begged him to come back, but he just couldn't look her in the eye anymore. After all, the death of their friend was his fault. But now he realized just how alone she must have felt. In fact he came to the conclusion then just how wrong he had been. She was acting like nothing was different, as if nothing had changed for her at all. How foolish he had been to think otherwise.

In an almost reluctant motion, he brought his hand up to rest on top of her head in a form of comfort. "I'm sorry," He said in a low voice. She looked up at him questioningly, after all, there was so much to apologize for, how was she to know just what he was sorry for. So he clarified. "Sorry for leaving you. You must have felt so alone." He apologized with a pained expression.

Yellow stared up at him for a moment longer before fresh tears started to form in her eyes. His face looked like it was filled with so much regret, and she knew that he had a lot on his shoulders. The tears started to fall and she tried her best to hold them in, to be brave like their squad leader had always told them, but they fell anyways. "You better be," She muttered as she tried her best to wipe the tears away. Red felt relieved, she had forgiven him, even though he felt he didn't deserve it. Seeing her cry only added to his regrets. Upon noticing the tears wouldn't stop, she quickly ran to her bag to get something to wipe them with, leaving Red to stand there and watch her retreating figure.

Gary found his chance and slowly strode over to his squad leader, a very sly smirk present on his face. Red didn't even seem to notice him, since his attention was still focused on the small yellow haired girl. "I didn't know you were into that type of girl." He stated casually.

Red nearly jumped when Gary spoke up. It took him a second to realize just what Gary was insinuating. He was so surprised by the comment, he didn't even know how to respond. "I-I'm not!" He retorted, but his face clearly said otherwise.

Gary's smirk only grew. "She's a little young for you, isn't she? I didn't know you were into kids." He teased.

Red's embarrassment only seemed to grow from his words. "She's the same age as me you little brat!" He argued as he grabbed Gary in a headlock. "How about I teach you some manners about how to talk to your elders." He threatened, clearly annoyed by Gary's teasing.

Despite the position he was in, Gary was still at it. "I'm not sure I'd have much respect for an elder that's interested in twelve year old's." He replied.

Red was ready to apply more pressure to the young boy's windpipe, but was stopped by Yellow's voice as she returned.

"Boy does that bring me back." She mused, mostly to herself.

Red paused as he looked down at Gary, whose head was entrapped in his arms. He closed his eyes and smiled almost sadly to himself as he released his hold. "Ah, I guess it does." He reflected.

Gary rubbed his now sore neck as he looked back and forth between the two with confusion. Brings them back to what? Honestly, that was the first time he'd really seen his squad leader act so playfully. He was used to the stoic Red. Perhaps his stoic nature has to do with the fact that his friend died?

Feeling that they really needed to get onto the important topic at hand, Leaf decided to speak up. "Red, she knows where May and Drew went!" She informed her squad leader, feeling that they had wasted enough time here. Peeko, who was now perching on top of her head, chirped in excitement.

"Oh really? I guess I was right thinking they had to have stopped here..." He said in thought.

"Let's hurry up and go after them then!" Gary insisted.

"You're getting over excited," Red informed the persistent teen. Gary scowled from the comment.

Yellow stared at the group for a minute with a smile, before she made a realization and the smile fell from her face. "Wait, so _you're_ the forgetful, arrogant, idiotic, selfish jerk of a squad leader?" She asked in shock.

Red cocked a brow as Leaf and Gary snickered next to him. "And just who said that?" He questioned giving Leaf and Gary a menacing look.

"Drew told me all about why you're allowing two of your squad members to go running off to Hoenn by themselves. Geez Red, I thought you were smarter than that, not to mention I had no idea you were so selfish." She scolded him with puffed cheeks.

It took all Red had not to laugh, she really was just as gullible as he remembered. Though he was a little annoyed at the apparent lies Drew was running around telling people. That kid really was going to be the death of him. "I'm _really _going to kill him," He muttered to himself.

* * *

><p>Drew felt a sudden chill as he climbed out of Roderick's boat. They had just arrived on the outskirts of Slateport, choosing not to dock too close to the city in fear of being discovered.<p>

"Are you okay?" May asked him, noticing his discomfort.

Drew looked back to the sea in the direction they had come. "Yeah, I just felt an ominous aura, almost like someone is planning to kill me." He informed her.

She followed his gaze back and shrugged. "Well lets see, there are quite a few names on the list of people that would be planning your death at the moment. My vote is Gary or Red." She joked.

He nodded his head with a shrug of his own. "Yeah, probably." He agreed, with a slight hint of dread. He really hoped they wouldn't get caught.

"Thanks a lot for the ride," May said, turning her attention to Roderick.

The old man smiled happily at her. "Of course, it was my pleasure. I wish you both safe travels."

They nodded their heads and wished him the same. With that Roderick made his way toward Slateport, he still had to send word for someone to pick up that large group of grunts that Yellow had tied to a tree on Mirage Island.

"So, which way to Fortree?" May inquired.

Drew pulled out his map and the two hovered over it. "We're around here," Drew stated as he pointed to an area near Slateport City. "Fortree City is north from here."

"Great! Let's get going!" May exclaimed as she started walking, leaving Drew to watch her with an amused expression.

Drew smirked to himself as he watched her walk. "Uh, May?" He called over to her after letting her walk a little ways.

"What?" She questioned with confusion as she turned around to find him in the same spot, sporting a huge smirk. What was so funny?

"North would be _that_ direction," He informed her, pointing in the opposite direction from which she was walking.

She stared blankly in the direction he was pointing before her face turned red from embarrassment. She really was a lost cause. She hurriedly walked passed him in the proper direction, but she didn't miss the amused look on Drew's face as she shuffled passed him.

"Shut up!" She fumed while refusing to look at him, knowing he was going to make some kind of snide remark.

He followed behind her, the smirk still present as he replied "I didn't even say anything."

* * *

><p>After Yellow had filled Red in on all that had happened, including Drew's little story, Red wasn't sure if he was impressed at how the two handled themselves against the Oppression, or mad at the fact that they lied and made him out to be the worst squad leader ever... Then again, he still partially thought that was true.<p>

"We have to hurry up and go after them," Leaf insisted after Yellow explained everything.

Red sighed to himself as he looked up at the now darkening sky. "I agree, but it's not safe to go anywhere now. It's getting dark, we should camp here for the night." He informed her.

Gary clenched his jaw at that. "We can't! They're only a few hours ahead of us! If we leave now, we can still catch up to them!" He argued.

"Looking for them won't do us any good in the dark. Not to mention the wild Pokemon and suspicious people that come out at night. We'll leave first thing in the morning." Red assured him.

However, Gary wasn't about to let it go. "That's not good enough! They'll be long gone by that time!"

Red didn't look amused by Gary's stubbornness. "I said it's too dangerous. We're not going anywhere. Besides, Drew is smart, odds are they're already holding up somewhere for the night too." He stated, not really wanting to argue with the teen.

Gary let out an angry "Tch," as he turned and walked away. Leaf frowned, looking up at Peeko on her head. The small bird nodded as in indication for her to go silently following after him.

"Wow, they don't just look alike, they even have the same personality." Yellow said in a solemn voice. "I guess being stubborn is a family trait." She added with a small laugh to herself.

Red narrowed his eyes at Gary's retreating figure. "An annoying one," He muttered with a sigh.

"Does he know?" She asked.

Red lowered his head, using his hat to hide his face. "No," He replied.

Yellow thought about scolding him, but knew it wouldn't be the proper response, odds are he was already feeling guilty. She was actually pretty amazed that Red had even agreed to be Gary's squad leader.

"I'm sure if he were here, Blue would be pretty happy that you're his brother's squad leader." She said in an attempt to comfort him.

Red clenched his fists at her words. "Well he's not!" He snapped. His eyes widened a second after, realizing that he raised his voice. "Sorry," He added.

Yellow didn't seem offended by his little outburst, instead she reached over and grasped his hand in her small one. "You know, I'm here." She whispered.

Red finally lifted his eyes from the ground to meet hers. She was looking at him with a soft expression, one he was so used to seeing, one that she only seemed to show him. "I'll always be right here," She assured him.

He felt a little embarrassed from her gaze and quickly looked away before squeezing her hand back and replying, "Yeah, I know."

* * *

><p>After following behind him for a few minutes to let him cool off, Leaf picked up her pace to walk in step with a pouting Gary. "You know, he has a point." She informed him.<p>

Her comment only seemed to put him in a worse mood. "Of course you'd take his side, you agree with everything he says just because you have a stupid crush on him." He seethed.

Leaf narrowed her eyes. "Or maybe I just agree with him because he actually thinks logically and doesn't pout like a two year old." She retorted.

"I'm sorry for actually caring about my best friend," He stated angrily as he stopped in his tracks to face her.

She too stopped to stare him down. "You think I don't? I want to find May more than anything! But I can't help her if I die before I get to her!"

"Well you certainly won't be able to help her if _she _dies before you get to her!" He replied in a louder tone.

"Resting for one night isn't going to put us that far behind. Besides, Drew would never let that happen!" She said with confidence. If there was one thing the green haired boy was good for, it was his amazing ability to protect those he cared about.

"Who's to say that Drew hasn't already ditched her? She is pretty useless after all." He said, not really meaning his words, but at this point he needed to get his frustration out on someone, unfortunately Leaf was that someone.

"Take that back!" She said, now completely full of anger. "May is an amazing battler and a skillful archer and you know it!" She seethed.

"You're only saying that because she's your only friend. After all, no on else could put up with your personality. I don't even know how your own mother put up with you." He sneered, but then quickly realized what he'd said.

Leaf was glaring at him, but there were tears starting to pool in her eyes. "Well she's dead, so I guess May is all I have isn't she?" She bit back, her voice full of venom. At this point she was done with the argument and turned to walk away.

"Don't get all sensitive, you're not the only one that lost their parents." He said in a very poor attempt to lighten up what he had said.

She turned back to face him, doing her best to keep the tears from falling. "Not everyone is like you. Even after ten years, I still have a right to mourn." He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her this worked up. Then again, talking about the fact that both were orphans wasn't something either of them really liked to do.

"People die Leaf, that's what war is." He said in a low voice. His own thoughts drifting back to the family that the war had taken away from him. Not that he remembered them all that well, it was over a decade ago after all. As far as he was concerned, his grandfather was the only real family he had.

"Not when they have a five year old daughter." She replied clenching her shirt for some kind of support. "They're not supposed to leave their little girl here alone." This time she didn't stop the tears as she let herself fall to the ground. Peeko jumped down from atop her head to sit on the ground and stare up at her. The small Pokemon seemed unsure what to do to comfort her.

Gary stared at the sobbing girl for a moment, also unsure what to do. He let his frustrations get the best of him, he hadn't meant to make her cry. Leaf always was sensitive about her parents dying, it was something none of them talked about. Bringing up anything about ten years ago was completely taboo in their group. So why did he do it? Was he feeling his own frustrations? Drew was like a brother to him. In fact, Drew was more of a brother than his actual brother. The thought of his close friend dying was putting him on edge, he never wanted to feel that pain ever again. So Leaf must be in the same boat, if not worse. After all he still had his grandfather, Leaf had no one. May really was the closest thing to family she had, well May and himself included, since they were childhood friends. In fact, their whole group was like family. They both knew what it was like to lose your most precious people, the thought of going through it again was terrifying.

He silently walked over to the crying girl and knelt down next to her. "Don't you remember what you said to me the day we met?" He asked her. She looked up at him with watery, red eyes. However, he quickly looked away, he was too embarrassed to look at her from what he was about to say. "You're not alone, because I'm standing right here."

Her eyes widened from his words. He remembered that? After all this time? For years she thought she was the only one that held on to that memory. A memory she'd thought he had long forgotten. Their first memory. Her favorite memory. It was the day she met her first and only love.

* * *

><p><strong>Hoenn Region (12 years ago)<strong>

He sat on a dusty old crate, with his knees against his chest, a blank expression on his face. Young Gary had been through a lot in the past few days, far more than any five year old should have to endure. His grandfather had managed to find him and get him to safety when Kanto was attacked, but not before the young boy witnessed both of his parents be cut down in front of his eyes. He was in shock, and couldn't even remember the journey he went on with his grandfather to get to the Hoenn region, where he now was. He was a refugee, one of many. Boatloads of them were coming in one after the other at the docks of Slateport. His grandfather insisted on helping in the chaos, leaving the small boy to watch the disorganized mess form afar. He didn't even know how long he had been sitting on that crate, he was too lost in his own mind. His parents were dead, his older brother hadn't come with his grandfather and him to Hoenn, and instead chose to stay behind in Kanto to fight back. Gary was sure he was probably now dead too, but who knew, not that it mattered. All Gary knew at that moment, was that he was completely alone. He clenched his teeth as fresh tears streamed down his face. How many times had he cried now? He didn't even think there could be any tears left because he'd cried so much. He had never felt so lost in his life.

"Are you okay?" A small voice asked him, breaking him out of his depressing thoughts.

Startled, he jerked his head up to find a small girl with long brown hair staring up at him. She looked to be about his age, her face was round and she had big brown eyes and a cute button nose. Her clothes were covered in red stains, most likely blood, but it didn't appear to be hers. He knew she must have been one of the many refugees.

"What do you want?" He asked in annoyance as he quickly wiped his tears. If his older brother were here, he surely would've laughed at him for crying in front of a girl.

She frowned at him before turning and pointing to a man with white hair and was wearing a lab coat. He was among the many refugees and was helping an elderly woman off of a boat and onto the dock. "I don't have any one to wait with, so that old man told me to wait with you." She informed him.

He blinked at her for a few seconds, unsure of what to say. She didn't have anyone? Did that mean her family was gone too? He chose not to say anything to her and rested his head on his knees. "Whatever," He replied. Of course his grandfather would send her over here, he had no consideration for the fact that he just wanted to be alone.

"Why were you crying?" She asked after a moment of silence.

He glared over at her as if that was the stupidest question in the world.

"Why aren't you?" He retorted.

She didn't seem phased by his rude response. "Why would I?" She questioned.

"You said you don't have anyone to wait with." He restated for her, as if it were obvious.

She cocked her head, still not understanding. "That's because Mama and Papa aren't here yet." She stated. "We got separated when Papa had to go find Mama, but he said he'd come back for me. A nice lady took me on a boat and brought me here. But I'm sure Mama and Papa are on one of the boats too." She informed him.

Fresh tears started to form in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall this time. Lucky her, she still had a family. It almost wasn't fair. For a second, he thought there just might be someone else who felt the same pain he was feeling. Now her presence just bothered him. "It must be nice." He said as he buried his face in his arms resting on his knees. He wasn't able to stop the tears, but refused to show them in front of a girl. But she could hear him sniffling. "It must be nice to not be alone." He sobbed.

Her eyes widened and she quickly climbed up onto the crate next to his, but in order to be eye level with him, she still had to stand. She reached out and grabbed his hand in her's, forcing him to look at her. "You're not alone!" She insisted. His eyes widened slightly from the fierce look on her face. "You're not alone, because I'm standing right here!" Her eyes were full of such spirit he couldn't look away. For some reason, his tears stopped falling. What was this feeling? Why did she act as if him being alone was the worst thing in the world? She didn't even know his name. However, despite the fact that he just met her, this girl had managed to make him forget about his sorrows for the first time since it happened. She was like an angel sent to him, an angel that knew just what to say and do to make him feel better. Right there, for the first time since he lost everything, Gary Oak didn't feel alone.

"I won't leave you alone." She assured him, still holding his hand.

He didn't know what to say other than, "Okay."

She nodded her head, seemingly satisfied by his reply. "By the way. I'm Leaf." She added with a bright smile.

Her face lit up, her smile reaching her eyes. "G-Gary," He muttered as he once again hid his face. This time it was for a different reason. While she thought it was because he was going to cry again, he really just didn't want her to see the shade of pink her smile made his cheeks turn. From that moment on, he decided Leaf was a very special person to him.

When he was six, Gary often stared out the window of his grandfather's laboratory. The large building was right next door to the small orphanage where the many orphaned refugee children lived. From his place at the window, he had a perfect view of the many children running around playing, but only one caught his eye. Leaf had secluded herself from the other children, she sat alone with her newly hatched Bulbasaur right next to her. All the children who turned 6 that year had picked their Pokemon eggs a few months ago, and what hatched were their lifetime partners. Gary felt that Leaf's Pokemon really went with her name. He was just glad that she finally had someone next to her.

A week after they had met, Leaf got the news that her parents never made it to the boats, but instead were killed the night of the attack. From that point on, she stopped talking. It had been a year since that day, and Gary had only talked to Leaf once since that time, but he still kept an eye on her, whenever she wasn't looking. He often went over to the orphanage to play with his new friend Ash. The two often butted heads, but their rivalry fueled their friendship. Gary made use of this time to keep an eye on Leaf. Sometimes kids would try to bully her, but as soon as he got word of it, he made sure that it never happened again. He had deemed himself her secret protector. After all, he owed her, she was the light that pulled him from the dark. He thought she didn't know about it, but she did. She was grateful for it, and yet, she couldn't bring herself to thank him. She couldn't find a way to talk to him at all. He had tried talking to her, anything to get her to talk to someone, but to no avail. She felt that she had no right. She had acted so brave when he'd told her about the death of his parents, as if she knew what it was like. Yet here she was, her parents were dead too, and he seemed to have handled it far better than she had. He acted like nothing ever happened, while she was afraid to talk to anyone. What bothered her most is she felt like she had lied to Gary, she had left him alone.

By the age of ten, Leaf had opened up some. She still lived next door at the orphanage with the other children. She interacted with them, played games, but Gary wasn't fooled by her act. He knew, deep down, part of her was still empty. He saw how hollow her smiles were, how forced her laughter was. He kept his distance from her, choosing only to play with Ash, after all what right did he have to comfort her? At least he still had his grandfather, she however, had no one. To her, he was probably just another kid that came around. Just someone that she met years ago, but held no real significance. But to him, she was the most significant. She noticed him too, of course. She often felt jealous of Ash, jealous that Gary was always around him, all the while acting like she no longer existed.

When they turned 13, Gary overheard Leaf announce her decision to join the Defiance. She was determined to make a difference, to help end the war. She knew she wasn't a fighter, but she liked to read books on herbs, perhaps her knowledge could benefit the cause. Gary thought she was just saying things, but when he saw how hard she had started to study everyday, he knew she was serious. It was at this point he questioned his crush on Leaf. Why was he so infatuated with her, when he hardly ever talked to the girl? He knew it had to do with his past. He was attached to her simply because of something she said when they were small. But what did that matter now? His parents were still dead, and they were never coming back. But what bothered him the most, was that he and Leaf and grown apart, and despite what she had said all those years ago, she did in fact leave him alone. He then decided he would forget her, and he too would join the war. He was fairly talented with a sword, his grandfather had taught him how to defend himself should the need ever arise. His Growlithe was also fairly strong, he battled with Ash often, and nine times out of ten, he was the winner. His decision had motivated Ash to train harder, but also motivated Leaf. She thought, perhaps if they went to the same school, she could still be around him. So her own motivation increased, and she too trained, knowing that she'd have to do well to be placed in the same ranking as him.

The following year, Leaf, Gary, and Ash, as well as many other children from their town, went to take their placement tests. The series of tests were created to test applicants on their skills in combat or weaponry, Pokemon battles, and needed knowledge. Depending on their scores, the students were placed in an academy to train and prepare to become soldiers for the war. Gary wasn't concerned about how well he did on any of his tests, aside from some green haired kid, he was the best swordsman there, not to mention his newly evolved Arcanine made it all the way to the semifinals of the Pokemon battle tournament, losing to some girl's Blaziken. His only real concern was that he didn't want to be placed in the same academy as Leaf. He figured the odds were unlikely, after all, he was talented in combat and battles, while Leaf only had her studies. He would likely be placed in a top school, while she would be in the bottom ranks. However, much to his dismay, he and Leaf, and even Ash, all managed to get into the top school, Black Thorn Academy.

It was as if fate was playing a cruel joke on him. After all, what were the odds? However, this didn't break his dedication. He was going to forget Leaf Green if it was the last thing he did. So, he tried to occupy his mind with other girls. LOTS of other girls. In fact, once school started, he'd dated about half of the girls in his class by the end of the first year. From there he'd earned quite a reputation as a playboy, dating a new girl just about every other week. Yet, Leaf was still the one on his mind. Once they started school together, he found himself interacting with her more. She took notice of his playboy ways, and it annoyed her more than she thought it would. She'd always thought of Gary as good looking, after all, she'd been in love with him since they were kids. So she decided to make herself known to him, but she wasn't about to be just another one of the many girls he dated. She wanted to be THE girl. So, she often found herself getting into arguments with him, it was her way of separating herself from the others. She'd make some kind of remark about him being a play boy, and he'd reply with some witty response. And as much as he tried not to, he ended up comparing all the other girl's to Leaf. Their hair, their smiles, their intelligence. No one seemed to catch his interest. Finally he came to the conclusion that there was no forgetting her, and he realized that he had more than just some crush. Gary Oak was in love with everything about her.

And so Gary found every way possible to get under her skin, to maker her notice him. Soon he became a constant part of her life. It helped that both their roommates seemed to have constant arguments with each other as well. Somehow the four of them became somewhat of friends. For Gary, this was enough. Leaf acknowledged him now, even if it was with annoyance. He'd often express his feelings, but due to his constant teasing and his reputation, she never took it seriously. But someday, he was sure she would understand that, to him, there would never be anyone else. If only he knew that she felt the same way.

* * *

><p><strong>There you have it, a little summary of Leaf and Gary's past. Just to make sure this is clear, Gary and Blue are not the same person in this story. Blue is Gary's older brother and they just so happen to look scarily similar :P I'm so sorry about that super long period of time with no updates! I'm still having trouble with this writers block, and well I'm really swamped with school. Thanks to everyone that still reads this story, I'll try to be more consistent with updates, feel free to leave a review or favoritefollow, it really motivates me to update! :)**

**Christie Ralti: Thank you so much for your kind words! My favorite stories are the ones where the characters are in the middle of a war, but I don't think I've read any that include both weapons and Pokemon. To me, it's kind of hard to have both the trainers and Pokemon fighting, but I really do like the idea of it and I try to make it work as best I can. Glad you like what I've been doing! I'm sure you can find a way to make it work too, hope I gave you some inspiration. ^_^**

**Ilypikachuu: I LOVE long reviews, it gives me an excuse to write a long response! Thank you for your awesome praise! I thought really hard about how to portray Yellow. I really love her character and it bums me out when people make her all weak and shy. I like her best as outgoing and little bit quirky, but that's just my take on her. Glad you like her character here too! :) I'm impressed with myself if there were no mistakes, most of the time I'm pretty lazy about proof reading. Sometimes I go back and find mistakes in old chapters. Hope your Red and Yellow questions were answered with this chapter! And sorry about the cliffhanger, but I didn't know how long their interaction would take, and I didn't want to keep you waiting for an update just to write it, so I saved it for this chapter instead (Which ended up making you wait for this update instead). I also love Gary and Leaf's interactions, they fight a lot, but they're actually really close, which I think is cute. I also think it's even cuter that they both like each other, but don't realize it. Don't worry, I wouldn't leave you hanging for a year, that's crazy talk! And omg, we're like long lost twins :P**

**Guess Who: Thanks a lot! I'm glad you're liking it. As far as how many chapters, I honestly have no idea. But I can say that there will be many more, I have it all outlined and I don't even think this story is near its halfway mark yet, but it really all comes down to if I decide to cut things out and how long I make each chapter. I'd say for now, just know there are lots more chapters to come! Also, hope this chapter answered that Red and Yellow are NOT relatives :)**

**I'll Break Your Heart: Haha Pokemon puns are my favorite! XD I know, I tend to get mixed feelings on the romance, some say I'm taking too long and others say it's too rushed, but much like you, I like it when it takes a while to develop. It may take some time, but it just makes it even sweeter when it happens. Okay so my take on Red started out as the one from the game, but then I remembered how much I love the Red/Yellow pairing. So he's a combo of the two, it's up to you which one you want to see him as. Don't worry, those questions of yours will be answered in the next few chapters! Oh and you've guessed correctly, the other Champions exist in this world and will show up to kick butt... eventually. Don't worry, you're not the only one, I can pretty much pair May from the game up with anyone, Brendan and Steven included. But for the purpose of this story, May from the show and May from the game are the same May, I guess kinda like what I did with Red. You'll see where this comes in later on. Thank you very much for your review! I'm glad you're liking the story!**


	16. Chapter 16

"May's expedition once again leads us through dangerous forests," May said lowly to herself as she walked, looking through the square frame she made with her fingers.

Drew rolled his eyes as he walked behind her. It was relatively early in the morning, so much so, that the sun still had yet to rise. Drew figured this would be the best time to move, since most people, and Pokemon, would still be asleep, leaving them with a less dangerous journey. So despite May's complaining, they woke up early with only a few hours of sleep under their belt. Drew knew that it would tire them out sooner in the day, but figured it was better to be safe than sorry. However, that didn't mean he wasn't going to stay sharp, he was much more perceptive of his surroundings since the last time he was caught off guard. While May was keeping herself occupied by her little game, he was occupying himself with keeping a constant watch on their surroundings. Red was certainly right to tell them to keep their guard up at all times, whether they thought they were safe, or not. Drew was even more alert now that they were back in the Hoenn region. It had been over a month since their school was attacked. Neither of them had any idea how bad things had gotten.

Drew froze when he heard Blaziken stop moving. The Pokemon was leaping through the trees above them, with a higher vantage point, he was their main look out. His eyes flickered to the fire type. May paused next to her green haired friend and followed his gaze to her Pokemon. Blaziken seemed to have spotted something, or someone, to the right of their position. Drew gripped the sword at his waist as May reached for her bow on her back.

With a silent nod of his head, Drew started toward the direction Blaziken was looking. May readied her bow and followed behind him, ready to fire an arrow through anyone that threatened them. Blaziken swiftly followed them in the cover of the trees, his movements so quick, he was hard to really see.

The two teens moved quietly through the brush, careful not to make a sound as they approached where Blaziken had indicated. However, they didn't find anything. Drew was starting to question the Pokemon's senses, when he heard May give a startled gasp behind him. In an instant he spun around to find a frightened May with a dagger to her neck. The person standing behind her was hard to make out, due to the darkness around them, but Drew could tell they were dressed completely in black. Drew narrowed his eyes, he couldn't see the person's face, but whoever they were, they had to have some serious skills to appear from behind them without making a sound. His eyes roamed to the trees in search of Blaziken, how had he managed to not notice the danger? Much to his surprise, Blaziken was sitting on a tree branch completely out cold. From there Drew surveyed the surrounding trees, he knew there were others out there, even if he couldn't see them.

"Don't move," The voice behind May demanded.

May let out another gasp, she knew that voice! She tried her best to look back at the figure holding the dagger to her neck. "Ash?" She questioned.

The figure behind her froze before leaning over her shoulder to look at her face. "May? What are you doing?" He asked in surprised as he lowered his weapon.

"I'd ask you the same thing. Why the heck are you attacking random travelers?" She scolded.

Ash let out a small chuckle, "Sorry, it's dark, not like I could see your faces. Besides, who travels at this hour?" He responded.

"Those who don't want to be noticed," Drew answered trying his best to only sound annoyed, but it was hard to miss the tension in his voice.

"Right, sorry for the scare." He apologized before giving Drew a confident grin. "I'm surprised I caught you off guard, you're not getting rusty, are you Drew?" He joked.

Drew smirked as he lifted his hand to reveal three small needles between his fingers, a clear indication that Ash was only a few seconds away from having them embedded in his neck.

"I hope those aren't laced with poison," He stated half joking, with a hint of fear, as he realized how fatal that would've been if it hadn't been his friends. Knowing Drew, he wouldn't have missed.

"Leaf made it herself," May replied for him as she held up a needle in her own hand. Apparently she was also prepared to fight back. They were more prepared for an ambush than the last time they were in Hoenn.

"Where is Leaf? And Gary? What are you guys doing back here?" Ash questioned, looking worried after realizing there were only two of them.

Before either could reply, a small figure jumped down from a near by tree.

"May and Drew? No way! What are you guys doing here?" The small voice asked. "Was that your Blaziken that Braixen used hypnosis on? I'm so sorry!"

They turned to find an apologetic Serena running over to them, a Braixen and a Pikachu following behind her. May looked up to the trees at her sleeping Blaziken.

"It's no problem, I'm sure Blaziken could use the nap anyways." She said with a smile while pulling out her crystal and returning Blaziken back inside.

"Whoa! Is that a crystal from the Defiance? Does that make you official Defiance members? When did that happen? Are you on some kind of secret mission?" Serena asked in excitement.

Ash pulled her hat down over her face in a way to tell her to be quiet. "How about we talk about this back at base?" He asked.

May and Drew were a little reluctant, after all, they had somewhere to be. Not to mention the fact that their squad mates were probably right on their tail. But who knew, maybe Ash had some information about Max or his school. Drew let out a sigh as he agreed. It wouldn't hurt to give a quick info swap before going on their way. Besides, he wanted to get up to date on what's happened since they left.

Ash led them down to a near by beach area where a small opening was located in the side of a cliff hanging over the shore. It was no wonder Ash had attacked them, they were relatively close to what appeared to be their base. Out of the corner of his eye, Drew saw a Starmie poking out of the water and instantly recognized it as Misty's. Smart to have a lookout positioned in an inconspicuous place. He wondered whose idea that was. The inside of the cave was bigger than they thought it would be, but was still small in comparison to the base they had been staying at. Instead of being made of many different tunnels, it was all open as one large area. There were makeshift huts scattered throughout, made of sticks and leafs. What impressed them the most was the amount of people within. Their group had certainly come a long way from the few numbers they had when Drew and his group left them.

"Wow, there are so many of you." May said aloud in amazement.

Ash turned her her, his face beaming with pride. "We've found a lot of people that want to fight back. Of course we're not the only group. There are lots of us scattered across the region." He said as he led them to a very large hut at the back of the cave.

The two looked at him questioning, he returned their gaze sheepishly. "This is where the leaders meet." He stated, motioning for them to enter.

The two entered the hut with Ash following behind them. "Leaders?" May questioned.

Ash nodded his head eagerly. "There are kids from all the different battle academies here. In order to maintain a proper leadership, we all agreed to vote one person from each school to represent their school as a leader. Then as a collective group, we make decisions, but well, I tend to be the one making the most decisions. The others say it's because I come from the top school."

"Wait back up. YOU were voted to represent our school?" Drew asked in what sounded to be disbelief.

May elbowed him in the ribs for his rude remark, earning her a glare from him. Ash didn't seem offended from it though, instead he let out a laugh.

"I was just as surprised as you." He admitted.

"You really have come a long way from the academy days," May said with a light smile.

Ash smiled back with a sheepish grin. "I don't know about that. If you guys were still around, I'm sure Drew would've been the one voted for, not me." He replied.

"Like I'd want to do something so troublesome. Watching her is enough work." Drew voiced, giving May a pointed look. She rolled her eyes as she looked over to the many school crests hanging on the wall, each representing one of the many schools that had students at the base.

Suddenly May's eye widened as if she had realized something. "You said there were kids from other schools here, right?" She inquired.

A look of confusion crossed Ash's face. "Yeah, why?" He questioned, but he didn't get a reply. In an instant, May ran out of the small hut and took off toward the closest person she could find.

She ran over to a young boy, clearly a few years younger than her. He had brown hair cut in a bowl shape and was holding a Weepinbell in his arms. The young boy looked a little startled from her sudden appearance. "Do you know anyone here named Max? Max Mayple?" She practically interrogated him, grabbing him by the shoulders.

"N-No, sorry. I don't think there is anyone here with that name..." The kid answered, clearly intimidated by the strange girl.

"I see, thanks." She said in a defeated tone as she released him and the boy quickly made his escape.

She felt a hand on her head and looked up to find Drew standing before her. "Just because he isn't here doesn't mean anything." He informed her. She nodded her head in reply as she looked over at Ash standing next to Drew.

"You just scared the pants off of poor Joe. What was that about?" He inquired.

She figured they owed their friend an explanation, and so returning back to the hut, she told him everything that had happened since they had last seen their friend.

"Wow, you guys have been through a lot." Ash mused after he heard her story.

The two nodded in agreement.

"But to think you ran away from the Defiance like that. You two sure have a lot of guts!" He added with a laugh.

"We didn't run away! We have every intention of going back when we find my brother!" May exclaimed.

Drew just shrugged next to her. "No, I pretty much just ran away." He stated as if it was no big deal, earning him yet another jab to the ribs from his bandanna wearing friend.

"Well I can tell you one thing, Fortree Academy is gone." Ash said with a very serious expression.

May and Drew's eyes widened at the revelation.

"What do you mean, gone?" May questioned with a hint of desperation in her voice.

"Gone, as in gone. There's nothing left. The school was burned to the ground. Much like ours was." He explained.

May's face paled from the news and Drew eyed her wearily. Gone? Nothing left? So how was she to find her brother? Was her brother even still alive? Any hope she had was crushed from the news. Her hands started shaking at her side and she could feel tears starting to pool in her eyes.

"Any survivors?" Drew asked, his gaze never leaving the shaking girl next to him.

"We've found a few. Mostly upperclassmen. But it's hard to really tell how many made it out. Like I said, there are groups of rebels hidden all over the region." Ash answered carefully.

"Then we'll just have to find them all and check." Drew stated as if it would be that simple.

May's eyes widened from his words. Was he serious? That seemed almost impossible. There was no telling how many rebel groups were out there, not to mention they had no way of finding them.

"Don't tell me you're giving up already? You came this far to give up now?" He chastised.

She clenched her jaw as his words sank in. He was right of course. She had come this far, why was she letting herself get so discouraged now? There was still a chance that her brother was out there, and as long as that chance existed, she'd search to the ends of the earth if she had to.

"Then let's go find him," She stated firmly, fixing her eyes on Drew with a fierce determination.

He smirked as her eyes met his. She certainly had moxie, and he was proud that she was able to bounce back so fast. That was the May he admired.

"If you're serious, then I know of a group near here. They've kept in touch with a lot of the other rebel bases, they're pretty much our way of communicating among each other. If you're looking for all the rebel groups then they'll tell you where to go. I can take you to them." Ash announced.

May's eyes lit up from his words. "You will? That's so great! You're the best Ash!" She exclaimed as she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his torso.

"No problem," He replied as he looked over her head to find Drew giving him a not so happy look.

"Will you be okay leaving for a while? Aren't you supposed to be in charge here?" May wondered aloud as she pulled away from him.

"Of course, like I said, there's a whole group of leaders. They won't miss me if I'm gone for a day." He said with a shrug.

With that said, they made their preparations to head out. By the time the three of them started out, the sun was slowly starting to rise in the distance, lighting the way for the next part of their journey.

* * *

><p>"I hope you find them soon," Yellow said to Red as he got ready to head out with his two juniors. It was fairly early in the morning, the sun had just started making its way over the ocean in the distance.<p>

He nodded his head in agreement. "I will," He told her.

"And when you do..." She started, sounding a little nervous about what she was going to say next. "Come and find _me_."

Red's eyes widened ever so slightly before he looked away, clearly embarrassed by her words. "I will," He repeated, and then climbed onto the back of the Pidgeot next to him.

He kept his gaze forward, refusing to look over at the two teens on the other Pidgeot, knowing they had to be snickering. They really were disrespectful little brats. Without a word, he tugged the Pidgeot's feathers and the bird Pokemon took off to the sky, Leaf and Gary following right after.

Yellow stood with a sad smile as she watched them fly away, turning into nothing but specs in the distance.

'Only two days left here. Then I'm coming after you. I won't let you disappear from my life again,' She thought to herself.

Leaf felt rather nervous during their flight. Ever since what had happened between the two of them the night before, she felt awkward around Gary. It didn't help that he was now sitting extremely close to her, so close she could feel his breath on the back of her neck. She couldn't understand why she was feeling this way. She'd spent her entire life acting normal around him, so why was it that now she can't even look at him? She ever so slightly looked over her shoulder to find Gary's eyes were clenched shut. Clearly he was concentrating on not thinking about the fact that he was flying, but it didn't look like it was helping with his fears. She contemplated saying something to him to tease him, but couldn't think of anything. All she could think about was the sentence he had said to her.

'You're not alone because I'm standing right here.'

She blushed ever so slightly as she turned back around to stare intently at the ocean below. Clearly he still remembered the day they met. She felt a little relieved at that information. It gave her a small bit of hope that all that time she wasn't just some girl. Maybe it meant that she held a certain place in his heart.

After a few hours of flying, the three finally made it to the Hoenn region. They chose to land a little ways from Slateport, and waved goodbye to the Pidgeot that had carried them this far, as the Pokemon started back toward their home.

Gary looked up to the sky to find the sun was now almost directly above them, indicating the day was just about half over. Who knew how far ahead May and Drew were now.

"What do we do now? Head for Fortree?" Leaf inquired.

"That's where Yellow said they were heading." Red answered her with a statement.

"Then let's stop wasting daylight and go," Gary said as he started walking north, knowing exactly which direction to go. Leaf and Red exchanged a glance before following after him.

* * *

><p>The sun was starting to set in the distance, and young Joe was out in the forest collecting berries for the base with his Weepinbell when he heard a sound behind him. He turned around cautiously to find a strange woman standing before him. She had short silver hair and piercing blue eyes. She was dressed in a dark purple cloak with maroon clothes underneath. Her high heeled boots looked to make her a bit taller than she actually was, but even without them, she would still tower over the small boy. On her wrist was some kind of metal object, but he couldn't figure out what it was.<p>

"Hello there, I'm looking for someone." She informed him. He said nothing, but simply stared at her, she didn't miss the look of distrust that crossed his face. 'Smart boy,' she thought to herself.

"Ah, sorry, I didn't introduce myself, my name is J, I'm from the Defiance," She stated with a false smile as she held up a light blue crystal. The small boy instantly recognized it, the only ones with those crystals were Defiance members. He relaxed his stiff posture.

"Forgive me, it's hard to trust any strangers you meet out here." He explained.

"I understand, I would be weary too. But you see, I've lost my friends and I simply _must_ find them." She told him with a frown. "Tell me, have you seen a green haired boy around here? He's traveling around with a girl wearing a red bandanna."

His eyes flashed with recognition. "Ah, yes!" He exclaimed.

Her face lit up, she wasn't expecting it would be so easy. After spending most of the day asking around, she didn't figure she'd have any luck with the pipsqueak. But then the boy frowned.

"Well they _were_ here, but I'm afraid you missed them, they just left early this morning." He stated.

Her face fell, well that figured. More work for her, but then again, part of the fun was the chase.

"Can you tell me where they went?" She questioned. The boy happily gave her the information she sought. It was almost too easy, what a foolish little boy. "I really must thank you so much for helping me out."

The boy smiled happily. "Of course, I'm glad I could help." He replied.

"Let me give you my thanks," She said in a dark tone as she closed the distance between herself and the brunette. Before he knew what was happening, she brought her arm, with the strange contraption on it, forward and he felt a sharp pain in his stomach. His eyes widened as he looked down to find a sharp blade had appeared from within her strange gadget and had pierced through his chest. He looked back up to her with a betrayed expression on his features as she pulled the blade away. He fell to his knees as he let out a pained cry. The Weepinbell next to him posed to attack, but was blasted away by a powerful fire attack. The woman looked to her left where her Salamence stood.

She smirked down at the lifeless body beneath her. "What a stupid little boy." She mused to herself, using her boot to tilt his head and get a better look at his now lifeless face. "I'd say the world was better off without him, wouldn't you?" She said to her partner Pokemon. The dragon Pokemon let out a huff of agreement as she walked over to him. "Now then, off to catch our prey." She added as she climbed atop her Pokemon and took off toward the sky, not a single care for the life of the small boy she had left in the forest.

* * *

><p><strong>Poor Joe... For those wondering, I did not make up Joe, he is from one of the very first Pokemon episodes. Like I said in the beginning, I won't be using any made up characters, which is really just to test myself to see if I can actually do it. Thankfully Pokemon has tons and tons of random characters. So, this chapter is a bit shorter than the past few have been, but I really wanted to update so I wouldn't leave you guys hanging again. What are your thoughts on J so far? She's a pretty wicked lady, but I like her! Feel free to leave a review, and I'll see you next chapter!<strong>

**Ilypikachuu: Aaaah, thank you so much! You made me smile with your words! The Leaf and Gary feels were indeed strong in that chapter, and I think that part is the reason it took me so long to update. For some reason Leaf and Gary are really hard for me to write moments for and I just want to make sure I do it right. Thank you so much for always leaving an awesome review and telling me what you think. I absolutely love to hear from my readers! And I'll always be happy to answer any questions you may have! :D**

**ContestRose: Thanks! Awesome name by the way. I'm glad you liked the chapter! I agree, May and Drew forever! Hope this update didn't keep you waiting too long :)**

**LuvallPokemon: Thank you very much, it's always nice to hear compliments about my writing style, I feel like I'm always trying to improve it. Yeah Ash was pretty weak at the beginning, but I hope you'll find he's much more useful in a battle now than he used to be. ;)**

**Guess Who: Sorry for always making you wait! Also, now I feel bad for the little cliffie I just left at the end of this chapter... To answer your questions, I love many anime/manga, and I've seen/read so many I couldn't even name them all if I tried. But I have always been a Digimon fan and maid-sama will forever be one of my favorites! As for if I have any ideas for another story, my mind is always making up stories, and I do have a random Naruto zombie one I've been writing around this one, it helps with my writers block. However, that story is more of just for my own entertainment and I don't really have any plans of posting it. As for Pokemon stories, I'd like to finish this one before I think of starting up a new one.**

**Saimofelici: Haha you made me laugh with that, thanks for the praise! I'm a crazy Contestshipper myself, so it makes me happy to know you're liking the story anyway. Thanks so much for giving me your thoughts :)**


	17. Chapter 17

May was tense as she took a step closer to Drew. On their way to find the group Ash had told them about, the three of them were cut off by a group of men. There were seven of them, each dressed in black and red, wearing a wicked smirk on their face. Behind them were seven Mightyena, each one letting out a low growl. The Oppression...

"Well well, what are you kids doing out here?" The closest man questioned, clearly the leader of the little group of thugs.

None of them answered, instead, they eyed the grunts wearily. The tension so thick, it could be cut with a knife.

"How about you just come quietly, and maybe we'll let one of you live." He joked, making the six other men laugh.

"Not likely," May replied, her hand ready to grab a hold of her bow.

The man's eyes flickered over to the brunette and an even more devious smirk made its way onto his face. "Better yet, hand over the girl, and I'll let you two walk away free. We could have some fun with her." He said with a lick of his lips.

May instantly regretted drawing attention to herself. His disgusting words and his evil gaze sent chills down her spine. Drew instantly moved to stand in front of her. His expression darkened as soon as the words left the man's mouth.

"I dare you," He warned in a low voice, unsheathing his sword and holding it out in front of him. Ash too moved over to stand closer to May as he also pulled out his own sword.

The man let out a chuckle from Drew's words. "Well you certainly do have guts. But that just makes you stupid. You can't defend against all of us."

His words were true, and it gave Drew a bad feeling. One man stepped forward, but Pikachu on Ash's shoulder, sent out a small electric attack, telling the man to back off.

"What do we do?" May whispered over to Drew.

The green haired teen eyed her wearily before glancing around at the men before them. Even if he didn't have to worry about Ash and May, Drew wasn't sure he could handle seven guys at once. It wasn't that he thought they were totally useless, May was a very important asset to have, just not on the front lines. At a safe distance, her aim was deadly, and could easily drop all seven of the men before them. But when it came to close range, May was shaky at best with her sword, after all, she had only been practicing for a few weeks. Then there was Ash, last Drew saw, he was decent with a sword, but if they split up the opponents, could he take on three guys at once? Not to mention the seven Mightyena. Could there Pokemon handle being so out numbered?

Drew wasn't really seeing any other options. "May, get out of here." He whispered over to her.

He knew she heard what he said, but she didn't move an inch. He allowed himself to turn toward her with an angry expression, this wasn't the time for her to be stubborn. "I said move!" He yelled at her.

She let out an angry growl before turning and running away from them. As much as it annoyed her to feel so useless, she knew she would only get in the way. As soon as she took off, so did the seven men and their Pokemon. Drew instantly launched three needles into the neck of the closest man, causing him to cry out in pain before falling to the ground in a fit of agony. Drew took half a second to wonder just what Leaf laced them with as the man's mouth started to foam up. Four of the men had swerved around him and ran off toward May, followed by their Mightyena. Drew quickly followed suit, slashing one in the back of the knee, causing him to crumble to the ground with a scream. He quickly pulled out his crystal and released his partner. Flygon emerged with a fierce cry, instantly taking note of the situation, and chasing down the group of Mightyena. The second man turned around just in time to block Drew's on coming attack. Drew recognized him as the man that seemed to be in charge. Clearly he was the leader for a reason, for he was able to keep up with Drew blow for blow. He let out an irritated grunt as the other two men followed after May.

While that was going on, Ash seemed to be holding his own. He easily parried the attack of the first man that came toward him, spinning around him and using the motion to slice the neck of the man behind him. He then turned back around to block the oncoming attack of the first man. The man swung low, trying to knock Ash off his feet, but he easily hopped over the attack. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Pikachu battling with two of the Mightyena, paralyzing one, and then slamming the other into the ground with an iron tail.

As May ran, she could hear a group of feet behind her. She clenched her jaw as she readied her bow. Her only option was to fight them off, there was no way she could out run grown men. After steadying her nerve, she quickly stopped and turned around, taking aim at the first person she saw. As she released the arrow, another man had grabbed a hold of her arm, causing her aim to falter, hitting the other man in the shoulder instead of the heart where she was aiming. She let out an irritated growl as she grabbed one of the poison laced needles hidden on her belt. With a fierce determination, she threw her arm up fast, driving the needle into the mans carotid artery. He let out a choking sound as he released his grip on her. The force caused her to fall to the ground and she quickly stumbled away from the man as he fell to the floor, foam oozing out of his mouth.

She noticed five Mightyena running toward her and flinched as one lunged at her. At the last second, a large pillar of fire appeared before her, blocking off the pack of growling Pokemon. She looked up to see Flygon fly over her head before swooping back around and launching another flamethrower at the group of Pokemon. She pulled her crystal from within her shirt and released Blaziken, knowing Flygon could use all the help he could get. Unfortunately, while her attention was averted, the other man had removed the arrow from his shoulder and closed in on her. She let out a gasp of surprise as he grabbed a hold of her shoulder and spun her around, then used the motion to slam his fist into her jaw. She let out a grunt as she hit the ground hard, her world spinning around her.

"You'll pay for that you stupid little girl." He spat as he grabbed her by her hair and forced her to look up at him. She flinched as he looked ready to strike her again, but suddenly she was thrown back to the ground. She managed to look up to find she had been rescued just in time. The brutal man was now clashing swords with Ash, but the teen looked like he had the upper hand.

"How dare you hurt her!" He yelled at the grunt in a fit of rage. His attacks then became so quick and fierce, the grunt couldn't even block them, and received cut after cut from Ash's sword. Finally he decided to end it, and with a flick of his wrist, the grunt lost his sword. Then before he could blink, Ash's sword pierced through his chest. The man made a gurgling noise as he fell lifeless on the ground.

It was at that moment that Drew ran up and was at May's side in an instant. He pulled her into a sitting position as he inspected her face. His expression darkened when he saw a bruise already starting to form.

"He's lucky he's already dead," He stated in a dark tone, his hand cradling her face as he ran his thumb gently over the mark.

May lifted a shaky hand and placed it over his. "I'm okay," She assured him as she stared into his eyes. Just having him close was enough to calm her down, and she could feel the adrenalin leaving her system.

Ash stood there watching them interact, feeling a bit uncomfortable he spoke up, "Should I leave you two alone?"

In an instant they remembered he was there and pulled away from each other. He looked back and forth between the two skeptically. "So are you guys...?"

"No!" They both exclaimed, cutting him off before he could finish his question. He held back a laugh as he put his hands up defensively.

"Okay, no need to get so defensive." He joked.

"We're not!" They once again said in unison. They both stole a look at each other before quickly looking away.

Ash thought about commenting further, but decided to leave it alone, in fear that Drew may retaliate. Drew finally stood up and offered his hand to help May to her feet. He let out a sigh as he ran his hand through his hair and looked around them.

Seven dead bodies littered the ground around them, as well as seven knocked out Mightyena. If there were seven grunts making rounds in the area, who knew how many of them could be near by. It was best to move before they were discovered.

With a nod to each other, the three once again started walking.

"I almost forgot," May suddenly spoke up before making her way over to walk next to Ash. He looked over at her quizzically. "Thank you, for saving me." She said with a bright smile. Ash couldn't help the blush that made its way onto his face just from seeing her smile. She certainly was a very pretty girl when she made expressions like that, even with the large bruise on her cheek and the dirt that caked her skin. How she managed to still look so amazing was beyond him. He had a girlfriend that he was crazy about, but even he couldn't deny the beauty of the girl walking next to him. It was no wonder Drew was so in to her, well if Drew was actually wiling to admit he was.

"Y-yeah, no problem," He muttered sheepishly, quickly averting his eyes away from her. Unfortunately his gaze landed on Drew, who was walking ever so slightly in front of them. His posture seemed a little tense, and Ash was sure he didn't want to see the expression on the green haired boys face.

"I'm actually really impressed. You really handled yourself well out there. I'd say you could even rival Drew with that performance!" She stated, meaning to compliment him, but didn't seem to realize the effect of her words on the other boy present.

"Oh, uh, thanks. I don't think it was anything special..." Ash said as Drew seemed to tense even further.

"No it really was! I mean, I could never dream of handling a sword the way you did! It was incredible! Like you had some kind of hidden potential in you all along!" She continued. "Honestly, you really do deserve to be the one in charge at your base. You're such a people person too, I really think you just could be a better pick than Drew!"

At this point Ash was really hoping May would just stop. He could practically see steam coming off of Drew. Said boy stopped in his tracks to turn around and glare at the two behind him.

"Well if he's so great, why don't you just date him?" He seethed.

May quirked a brow from his outburst. "What's got your panties in a twist? I was just complimenting Ash. No reason to get all upset over a little comment." She said as she crossed her arms over her chest, giving Drew a look similar to what a mother would give when scolding their child.

"I'm not upset, I just wasn't aware I had such terrible people skills." He said with narrowed eyes.

"Well look at you! You're doing it now! You get so upset over the dumbest things, unlike Ash who is always a nice person!" She said with her hands on her hips.

"That so? Well since Ash is obviously better than me, you don't really need me around right? Guess I'll just go my own way." With that said, he turned away from them and started off in a different direction.

May clenched her jaw as she watched him walk away. He was being completely childish, and there was no way she would give him the satisfaction of telling him she didn't want him to go. Then again, she still had no idea why he came with her back to Hoenn. She knew it wasn't just to help her find her brother. He probably did have somewhere to go if he were to just walk off and leave them behind. If he did leave, would she ever see him again? What would she do without him? She'd spent so long relying on Drew, she wasn't sure just how well she'd do on her own, and that fact scared her. Losing Drew scared her. Before she knew what she was doing, she was running. As soon as she caught up to him she threw her arms around him from behind.

"Okay, I'm sorry!" She exclaimed as she buried her face in his back. He instantly stiffened from the contact. "You're not that terrible, so don't leave me..." She begged.

She felt him shift, and she pulled away as Drew turned around, just in time for him to flick her in the forehead.

"Ow!" She complained while rubbing her now sore forehead.

"You really are gullible aren't you? As if I'd just walk off and leave you with Ash Ketchum of all people." He said with his signature smirk. "You wouldn't last a week with him."

May puffed her cheeks in annoyance. She should have known he'd never actually do it. "You're the worst!" She shouted, smacking him in the arm.

"If I'm the worst, then why were you begging me not to leave?" He mocked.

"That's it! I'm not talking to you ever again!" She pouted as she turned away from him and started marching off.

"Now who's being childish?" He joked, following right behind her.

Ash couldn't help but roll his eyes to Pikachu on his shoulder as he went after them, taking note of the sun that was starting to set.

It was nightfall by the time their group made it to their destination a few miles outside of Verdanturf Town. Deep in the woods they came across a small cabin home next to a barn. There was a girl outside petting a large Rapidash. Her hair was a light blue and was pulled back in a ponytail and she had an orange headband on her head. May stepped on a twig, making a snapping noise that caused the girl to let out a startled gasp. The flames covering the Rapidash instantly shot up in warning.

"Whoa, easy. It's me." Ash said as he held his hands up in surrender.

"Ash? Thank goodness. I thought we'd been found out." The blue haired girl said with a sigh and a smile of relief.

Ash scratched the back of his head as he chuckled. "Sorry about that," He said sheepishly. "Where's Dario?"

The girl put her hand on her chin as she hummed to herself and looked around. "Actually, I'm not sure. He went on a run and said he'd be back sometime tomorrow." She replied. It was then that she noticed the two extra faces. "Who are your friends?" She inquired.

"Ah, this is May and Drew," He answered, motioning to his two companions.

"Nice to meet you," They both stated.

"Nice to meet you too, my name is Lara." She said with a smile. The Pokemon next to her let out a huff, causing the trainer to giggle. "Oh, and this is my partner, Rapidash. We run messages back and forth between the bases. Our speed is unmatched, and we guarantee that no one else could beat our speedy delivery." She stated with pride. "Of course it's thanks to my Rapidash here that it's possible. She's the fastest there is."

"She's absolutely stunning!" May said in awe as she rushed over to the majestic Pokemon. Much to the surprise of Lara, the Rapidash allowed May to pet her, without scorching the poor girl's hand.

"Wow, I've never seen Rapidash be so trusting of someone she just met." Ash commented to Lara, who nodded in agreement.

"May has a way with entrancing those around her," Drew commented as he watched her face light up as she interacted with the Pokemon.

"I suppose she does," Lara smiled. "So what brings you here?" She asked Ash.

They all took their eyes from May to focus on the matter at hand.

"We need a favor." Ash informed her.

The four made their way into the small cabin where May explained her situation to the blue haired girl.

"I see, so basically, you're looking for a needle in a haystack..." Lara said with a frown. "Your brother could be anywhere."

May hung her head at the thought. She knew that finding her brother wouldn't be easy, but having someone else tell her such didn't really settle well.

"We're aware of that fact. But any help you could give us to narrow down places to look would be very much appreciated." Drew said with a serious expression.

May was amazed at how polite that sounded. It was kinda weird hearing him speak to someone in such a manner.

Lara smiled at him and nodded. "Okay, I can give you a map with the location of all the bases in the region." She said as she stood up to go dig through a stack of papers to find a map, where she then started marking different locations. She then turned and held it out the the green haired boy. "These are all the most current locations I know of. However, bases tend to move, and anything could happen, so there's no telling if they'll still be there when you get there."

Drew took the map from her hand and examined it. There were twelve locations circled on the map. "Thank you, I'm sure this will help a lot."

"Yes, thank you very much!" May added.

Lara once again smiled at the two. "I'm sure I don't need to tell you about guarding that with your life. It would be very bad if those locations got into the wrong hands." She informed them sternly. The two nodded in understanding.

"Well I don't suppose you should be heading out at this hour. How about you all rest up here for the night?" She asked.

Drew and Ash exchanged a glance before shrugging their shoulders.

"Might as well. I hope you're making dinner!" Ash said with a grin.

Lara laughed at his comment before opening an ice chest and pulling out some veggies. "Of course!" She exclaimed.

* * *

><p>Leaf, Red, and Gary had been walking throughout the afternoon and Red was getting a bad feeling. He knew May and Drew had to be a few hours ahead of them, but he was starting to get the feeling that the two of them were not headed in the same direction their group was currently walking. Knowing May, she would've required an excessive amount of breaks which, of course, Drew would've caved and let her have. Taking that in to account, he had sent Gary's Arcanine to run ahead of them in an attempt to sniff them out. He also had Peeko fly ahead to see if she could find them from a bird's eye view. Unfortunately, both Pokemon came back without any sign of the two teens. It was one thing if Peeko had trouble spotting them, but Arcanine should have been able to pick up some kind of scent by now. Unless...<p>

Red finally stopped in his tracks, the two teens behind him copying his action.

"What's wrong?" Leaf inquired, noticing the troubled look on her squad leader's face.

"We need to turn around," He stated.

"Huh?!" The two exclaimed.

"Think about it. If May and Drew had come this way, don't you think we would have found some kind of indication of that?" He questioned calmly.

The two paused to think. He was right of course. Gary was very sure of his Arcanine's tracking abilities. There really was no sign that their friends had come this way. But then why not? If Fortree was their destination, this would be the direction to go. So what caused them to go off track?

"So what do we do now?" Leaf asked with a look of concern.

Red let out a low sigh as he closed his eyes in concentration. "We'll go back the way we came. We need to find out just what direction they went, and do it quickly before any trace of them really does disappear." He answered, opening his eyes again to look at his two squad members, who replied with a nod of their heads.

It took them a few hours to get back to where they started, and Gary fought the urge to sign in frustration. They had wasted the entire day, and now the sun was starting to set. Who knew just how far the two of them had gotten now.

When they finally got back to the area where they first landed, they stumbled across a very disturbing scene. On the ground a few feet away, was what looked to be the body of a young boy. He was laying in a pool of blood, and it looked as though it was fresh. Leaf immediately jumped into medic mode as she rushed to they boy's side. Red and Gary flanked her on both sides, keeping their eyes sharp, unsure if whoever, or whatever, did this was still around.

She knelt down and placed her fingers on his neck, hoping for a pulse. His cold skin and lack of breathing, indicated he had been gone for a while.

"He's dead," She confirmed to the two standing next to her. She eyed the boy sadly. He looked to be a few years younger than her, 14 at the most. Judging by the fact that he was wearing a school uniform, she figured he must have been a freshman. She felt tears start to form in her eyes at the thought of such a young boy dying all alone in such a place. What a cruel world they lived in.

"Who the hell kills a kid and just leaves him like this?" Gary asked in anger, completely disgusted with the sight before him.

"This world has no mercy for the weak." Red simply told them, before his eyes flashed to his right just as three figures emerged from the brush.

The three figures froze on the spot as they eyed the dead body on the ground and then the three standing around him. They instantly recognized that the dead body was their friend and unsheathed their swords.

"How dare you!" The closest one screeched before charging toward them.

Red clicked his tongue in annoyance before rushing forward, not even bothering to take out his own sword, one look at the kid and he knew he wouldn't need it. The young boy rushed him, pointing his sword at Red's heart. Just as he was about to pierce it through him, Red easily maneuvered around it. He then used his right hand to twist the boy's wrist, forcing him to drop his weapon, while his left hand grabbed the boy by his neck. The teen seemed to forget his rage as he struggled to remove the hand from around his windpipe.

"You need to calm down. We're not the ones that did this." Red explained as he released his hold, causing the boy to fall to the ground choking.

The young teen glared up at the man in the hat as he rubbed his now sore neck. His two friends quickly made their way over to him.

"There was a nicer way to go about that." Leaf scolded as she walked over to her squad leader, giving him a pointed look before offering her hand to help the boy stand. "Hey I know you!" She exclaimed as she got a better look at his face.

The teen's eyes widened as he too recognized the girl in front of him. "You're Calem, right?" She questioned and then looked up to see the two girls standing a few feet away. "And Serena, and Shauna."

"Leaf!" Serena cried out, running passed her still piss off friend to run into Leaf's arms. "Thank goodness it was you. I thought for sure Calem was done for! What happened here?"

It took all Leaf's strength to pry the girl off of her. "We're not sure, we arrived just before you did. You know him?" She inquired.

Serena looked over to the small boy, her expression filled with sadness. "He was a freshman, from an academy in Sootopolis City. He was our friend." She managed to get out before she started sobbing. "I don't know how much more of this I can take!" She cried out as she once again threw herself onto Leaf. Leaf eyed the other two younger teens, and could see the sorrow in their eyes, but both managed to hold back their tears.

"I'm sorry for attacking you." Calem said in a gruff voice to Red as he finally picked himself up off the ground.

"Sorry for choking you." Red replied back, though his didn't sound like he was really sorry for anything.

"What are you guys even doing out here?" Leaf questioned.

Before anyone could answer, Gary spoke up. "Hey guys..." He had noticed something written in the dirt near the body of the boy, and made his way over to see what it was. It was almost too messy to read, but from what he could tell it read '_warn Ash.' _

Warn Ash... of what? Did whoever do this plan to go after Ash next?

Serena managed to stop her crying as they all went over to see what Gary was staring at.

"Serena..." Gary said, grabbing her attention. "Where's Ash?"

"He left," She started just as she realized why Leaf and Gary were likely back here. "He left with May and Drew."

Three pairs of eyes widened as they realized what that meant. Whoever had killed this boy was going after Ash, and that meant May and Drew too. They absolutely had to find their friends, before it was too late.

* * *

><p><strong>Omg guys, has any one seen the movie Hotarubi no Mori e? Because I just watched it for the first time and I think my heart broke in two. And now... now I'm inspired with ideas... and I want to do evil things to Drew, all for the sake of tragic entertainment... (insert evil laugh here) Well anyways, that movie is to thank for this chapter because I wrote it in order to get that sad yet amazing movie out off of my mind. Thanks again to all my readers! :D<strong>

**Guess who: No offence taken, her whole character is supposed to be unlikable, unless you're into evil characters... like me! :P I will be killing many many more characters, some you probably won't care too much about, and others may leave you a little heartbroken, just an advanced warning ;) The others will catch up soon, and yes to the Red/Yellow! I hope you're not too upset that this chapter is just as short as the last, here's hoping the next one will be longer...**

**Jayfeather12345: Wow thanks so much! I'm glad you like it! Also, thanks for your thoughts, I really like to hear what people think about how I'm writing and ways that I can improve. The deaths of Briney and Joe weren't really meant to be very sad since they were very minor characters, I'm hoping that when someone of more importance dies, I'll get a good reaction from you! :) The point where Drew's secrets are blown is very close and honestly, I'm still not sure how May will react, I'm hoping it'll come to me as I write it out in the heat of the moment kinda thing. Anywho, thanks for reviewing! I hope to hear from you again!**

**Ilypikachu: No worries, their awkwardness only lasted a little bit there. They're pretty good about hiding feelings around each other. After all, they've done it their entire lives! XD Yes, Hunter J will do anything for money, and she doesn't care who she has to kill to get it, and I love her for it! Thank you very much for your reviews, they always make me smile. Oh and thanks, when I get writers block I mess around on paint just for fun, I usually use the most relevant characters for wherever I'm at in the story and see what comes of it. This one I just switched because I got tired of the other one! :P**

**LazyCat0621: Thank you very much! Lyra/Silver will be back, but I wouldn't say it'd be featured. They are a very minor ship in this story. But they will be back a little later. As to who is on the cover, top left is Gary's brother Blue and on the right is Red. Obviously that's a mega Charizard in the middle. On the bottom from left to right is Drew, May, Gary, Yellow, and Leaf. As I said in the comment before this one, the characters on the cover are usually the most relevant characters for where the story is at.**


	18. Chapter 18

The next morning, May woke up to an empty room. She nearly panicked at the thought that something bad had happened to her friends, but her fears were quickly relieved when Drew walked through the front door.

"Well well, so the sleepy Snorlax finally decided to get up." He teased with a smirk. She vaguely remembered him often calling her that back at the academy whenever she would skip class to nap, and she nearly smiled before she realized he was making fun of her yet again.

May narrowed her eyes, but was still half asleep, so decided not to retort. She reluctantly got up from her comfortable position on the couch she had slept on as she stretched her stiff muscles.

"Where's Ash and Lara?" She questioned.

Drew went over to his bag and pulled out two apples, tossing one over May, which she easily caught. "Outside," Was his short reply as he took a bite out of his apple. She let out a soft yawn and took a big bite of her own fruit he had given her. She hadn't realized just how tired she'd been until now. When was the last time she actually slept that well? It had been too long.

The two finally went outside to find Ash and Lara talking to a boy with dark hair that was pulled back in a ponytail, much like Lara's was. Standing next to him was a large Dodrio. The Pokemon's three heads were currently fighting over a pile of berries.

The three outside turned their attention to May and Drew as they stepped through the door.

"May, this is Dario." Ash introduced her as she walked over to them.

"Nice to meet you," May greeted.

Dario simply nodded his head in reply. Apparently he wasn't much of a talker. May noticed Rapidash looked to be saddled up, like Lara was getting ready to ride off somewhere.

"Where are you going?" May inquired.

Lara turned to her with a smile. "Well Ash has a message he'd like passed along to the other bases." She answered.

May turned to Ash with a quirked brow. "What message?" She asked.

"Oh, nothing important. Are you ready to head out on your quest?" He changed the subject with a smile.

May thought his reply was a little strange, but after a look from Drew, she decided not to question it. Why wasn't Drew asking about it? Normally he liked to be in on things like that. Unless... Did Ash tell Drew what it was and not her? If not... why?

"I guess we're as ready as we'll ever be." She answered, making an attempt to hide her thoughts.

Lara climbed onto Rapidash's back and with a final goodbye, was off in a flash. She really wasn't kidding when she said that her Pokemon was fast. Dario too decided to take his leave, he'd been traveling all night and said he needed some rest.

Ash, May, and Drew gathered their things and got ready to part ways.

"It was really great seeing you again Ash." May said with a grin. "But I'm sure Misty is ready for you to get back," She added as she nudged him playfully.

"You're telling me. You should've seen how mad she was when I left." He laughed.

"I'm sure she was just worried. She does care a lot about you." She said with a soft smile.

"Yeah I know, so I guess I'd better get back to her. You guys be careful out there." He said with a serious expression.

"Aren't I always?" Drew said as more of a statement than a question, with a smirk.

Ash let out a laugh. "Of course. It is you we're talking about. I was mostly referring to May." He joked.

"Hey!" May huffed as the two boys laughed.

With that, they said their goodbyes and parted ways. Ash heading back to his base, and May and Drew heading off toward the circle on the map that was closest to Fortree City.

* * *

><p>May and Drew hadn't gotten far before Drew suddenly stopped in his tracks. He thought he had heard something, but wasn't sure where it had come from. He looked around them as a bad feeling overcame him. Blaziken was up in the trees, always on the lookout from up high, and he seemed to be looking around just the same as Drew. Something was wrong.<p>

"Drew, what's wrong?" Just as the words left May's mouth, a blur flew passed her and Drew let out a grunt. His hand instantly flew up to his neck where he pulled out a strange dart. His eyes widened, but he didn't even have time to say anything before his vision blurred and his legs gave out from under him, sending him falling to the ground.

"Drew!" May cried out as she rushed to his side. "Drew what's wrong?" She instantly checked to make sure he was alive before looking at the dart in his hand. A sedative? Where did it come from? She pulled out her bow as she looked around just as another blur was shot toward her. Her eyes widened in fear, but suddenly Blaziken was standing before her, the dart aimed at her throat was in his hand. The Pokemon angrily tossed the dart aside as he glared in the direction it had come from, clearly angry that someone would attempt to harm his trainer. May let out a sigh of relief that her partner had managed to protect her.

"I must say, your Blaziken has some excellent reflexes." A woman's voice said as she appeared from within the shadows of the forest. She had short silver hair and was wearing a purple cloak. May couldn't make out the woman's face because she had on a pair of sunglasses, but just from the aura she was giving off, May could tell this was a dangerous woman.

"What did you do to Drew?" May asked, ignoring the woman's compliments.

"Oh don't worry, he's just taking a little nap. I didn't really feel like fighting him now, it would be far too much trouble. He's a slippery one after all." She said with a sly smile.

"What... does that mean?" May questioned, stealing a glance down at her unconscious friend. "Who are you?"

The menacing smile on the woman's face only grew. "My name is Hunter J. And your little friend there is coming with me."

May wasn't really sure what this woman wanted with Drew, but she wasn't about to let her take him anywhere.

"No," May clenched her jaw as she readied an arrow and pointed it at J. "He's not."

J let out a laugh at May's actions. "Well you certainly have a fire in you. I like that. Maybe I'll let you live." As soon as she said that, a Salamance appeared from behind her and fired a hyper beam attack. Moving quickly, Blaziken managed to grab both May and Drew and move them out of range of the attack. Unfortunately, it caused May to drop her bow. As soon as Blaziken set them down she frantically searched for it. Her heart sank when she finally found it, right under J's foot. The silver haired woman bent down and picked it up, eyeing the weapon with an unreadable expression.

"I must say, archery is a pretty rare talent. Especially for a young girl such as yourself." She mused.

May felt her fists shaking. Without that bow, she was practically defenseless, well, aside from the rapier at her waist. The only problem was, she wasn't very good with it. Blaziken moved to stand closer to her. Of course. She wasn't totally defenseless. She still had Blaziken. Maybe she could battle her way out of this. She once again stole a look at Drew laying behind her and made her resolve.

"Blaziken, flamethrower!" She commanded.

Blaziken shot a power fire attack, catching the Salamence and its trainer off guard. The large dragon Pokemon took the attack head on, causing it to be thrown back into a nearby tree, toppling it over.

J once again smiled her wicked smile. "I really do like your spunk." She said as the Salamence stood back up, looking like the attack hardly even phased him.

May's eyes narrowed. That was no ordinary Pokemon. It looked like her attack didn't even make a dent. Maybe a more upfront attack would do the trick? "Blaziken, blaze kick!" She said to her Pokemon.

Blaziken swiftly ran toward the Salamence, and much to May's surprise, the Pokemon made no attempt at dodging, choosing instead to take the attack. It seemed to cause some damage, but the Pokemon didn't let it show. Instead, it powered up a dragon claw, and using the close proximity, slashed at Blaziken, throwing the fire type back and causing him to let out a cry of pain.

Blaziken hit the ground hard, but managed to shakily stand back up. However, Salamence wasn't going to give him a chance to recover. The dragon Pokemon launched a hyper beam straight toward him.

"Flamethrower!" May yelled out to him, knowing he wouldn't have the energy to dodge, counter attacking was his only chance. Unfortunately, Blaziken's fire attack was easily over powered, and the hyper beam slammed into him, sending him crashing into the forest, knocking down a trail of trees behind him.

"Blaziken!" May screeched as she ran after her Pokemon. He was in bad shape and she instantly returned him into her crystal. She felt tears well up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

Why was she so weak? Why couldn't she do anything right? Even when Drew needed her most. Her eyes widened as she suddenly remembered Drew and turned around to find J walking over to him. She pulled out her sword and rushed over to him.

"Get away from him!" She yelled as she swung her weapon, hoping to catch the woman off guard. But her attack was stopped by a strange contraption on J's arm.

J then used her other arm to pull out a sword of her own and slashed at May. Fortunately, her small form allowed her to dodge the attack. She took a step back as she held her sword out in front of her defensively. J didn't miss the way her hands shook as she grasped her weapon. If she was this shaky holding her sword, she couldn't help but wonder if the girl really was capable of using the bow.

She was ready to disarm the girl when a new voice interrupted her train of thought.

"May!" May turned at the sound of her name to find Ash running toward her.

"Ash!" She called back, feeling beyond relieved to see him.

However, she quickly regretting turning her attention away from her opponent as she felt a strong blow to her head. Her sword fell from her hand as she crumbled to the ground. Her vision blurred and her world was spinning as she managed to look up to see J standing over her. All she could do was watch as the woman then turned her attention to Ash. Clearly she was done toying around as she lashed out at him. It was hard for May to really make out what was happening as she struggled to keep her world from going black, but she could tell that Ash was not winning the fight. She was sure somewhere out of her line of sight, Pikachu was also fighting a losing battle. Then she watched in horror as J made a stabbing motion and could do nothing but stare as J pulled her sword out of Ash. Said boy clutched his wound as he fell to the ground.

Tears pooled in her eyes as she watched her friend hit the ground and despite her best efforts, she couldn't move to help him. Ash was the last thing she saw before her world went dark.

* * *

><p>Red, Leaf, and Gary were all exhausted from running, but knew they couldn't stop. They had to travel through most of the night, stopping only for short rests. They were tired and sweaty, and desperately needed a break, but knew they couldn't afford it. They had to catch up to their friends. It was morning now, and it wasn't hard to miss the large pillar of smoke near by. They had a bad feeling that it was related to their friends. When they finally arrived on the scene they knew something big had gone down. There were large craters in the ground, as well as multiple trees that were either knocked over or broken in half. Clearly there was a very intense Pokemon battle here. But that wasn't what caught their attention. Leaf's eyes widened when she saw a familiar figure sitting under a tree, barely able to hold himself up. A battered looking Pikachu was sitting next to him, his concern for his trainer was so deep, he didn't even notice their arrival.<p>

"Ash!" Leaf screeched as she rushed over to him. She instantly took note of his pale face, but was grateful that he still seemed to be breathing. "Ash, look at me." She said forcefully as she patted his cheek, trying to get him to respond. She looked down to find he was covered in a good amount of sticky blood, and her heart dropped when she realized it was his own. His hand was held firmly over a spot on his side where most of the blood seemed to be coming from.

Gary was soon at her side and he helped her to lay the raven haired teen on the ground. She pulled her bag from her shoulder and started digging in it for her supplies.

"You're going to be okay Ash. I'm going to take care of you." She informed him as she pulled out some cloth and pressed it against his wound. He winced, but other than that didn't move. Her brows furrowed at that. He really was in deep water. He looked like he'd been there for a while, and had lost a good amount of blood because of it, not to mention the amount of dirt and who knows what else that had gotten in it.

"Gary, there's a bottle with a blue cap in my bag." She said over her shoulder.

Gary quickly retrieved the bottle of clear liquid from within her bag and handed it to her. She swiftly opened it up and poured its contents onto the wound. Ash let out a moaning sound from the pain, and she took that as a good sign.

"Hand me the bottle with the red cap." She once again ordered. Gary then handed her another container with a familiar substance. It was the same herbal mixture that she had used on Drew to stop the bleeding when he was wounded and she gratefully took it. She made quick work of applying the medicine and then wrapping him up.

"This will do for now. But we need to get him help." She stated urgently.

"You two take him and go." Red told them.

"What? No way! You're not going on without us!" Gary argued.

They turned to their squad leader who was a few feet away. His gaze was fixed on an object by his feet. He bent down and picked it up, his expression dark. It was clear now that Ash was not in fact their target. Leaf felt her lip quiver as soon as she saw what was in his hands.

May's bow.

* * *

><p>When May finally opened her eyes again, she was unsure of where she was. She blinked a few times, allowing her eyes to focus. There was no light around, and for a split second she thought maybe it was night time, but soon realized she was in a cave. She tried to bring her hand up to rub her aching head, but realized her hands were tied behind her back. What? What happened? She couldn't remember how she got in this situation. Where was Drew?<p>

Then it came back like a ton of bricks. The strange woman... J... She knocked her out... and she... she... May felt tears sting her eyes as she recalled what happened right before she blacked out. She killed Ash.

She heard footsteps echo through the cave and instantly blinked away the tears. This was no time to cry. She had to figure out how to get out of this mess. She struggled against the ropes tying her hands, but they were too tight to pull her hands free. She noticed with irritation that her bag was no longer on her waist, which meant she had no access to any of her tools. She let out a frustrated growl as a light appeared from around a corner. She had to squint her eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness it brought.

"Oh so you're awake." J's familiar voice stated.

May's eyes finally adjusted to the light J had brought with her and was able to get a clear view of her surroundings. She was able to see her bag, along with Drew's, piled up against the wall near where J had just emerged from. She frowned as she noticed her quiver of arrows was present, but her bow seemed to be missing. She looked to her right and it was then that she noticed Drew had been right next to her the whole time. He was laying a few feet away, his own hands were tied tightly behind him. He was still out cold, but she was thankful to see his chest rising and falling. At least he was breathing, but he looked so vulnerable.

"You!" May seethed as soon as she laid eyes on the silver haired woman. "You killed Ash!"

J looked a little confused for a second before her eyes flashed. "Oh the little brat with the yellow rodent? Yes, I did."

May glared hard at the woman. She didn't look like she cared at all. She killed her friend in cold blood and now acted like it wasn't even a big deal. "I'm going to make you pay!" She exclaimed.

"You're not really in a position to be making threats." Was her simply response.

"What are we doing here? Why did you kidnap us?" May changed the subject.

"Why? Because it's my job. I'm a bounty hunter, and as long as I get paid, I'll kidnap anyone I want." She replied with a smirk.

A bounty hunter? As in someone had to have paid her to attack them. She thought back to what J had said earlier about taking Drew with her. So she was after Drew, but why? Who would pay her to kidnap Drew?

"But, why us?" May questioned.

"Well no offense, but it wasn't you I was after." She stated as she put down her lamp and took a seat leisurely against the wall of the cave. "But your little friend there has got quite the bounty on his head."

May's eyes widened as her thoughts were confirmed. She once again looked down at the boy laying on the floor. Who the heck would be after Drew? Why had she not known about this? Just who is Drew Hayden?

"Why? Who's after him?" May asked, needing to know.

J laughed at this. "You don't know who he is do you?" The confused look on May's face made her laugh even more. "I don't know what he's told you, or who he's convinced you he is, but I can tell you one thing. He'll bring you nothing but trouble."

May narrowed her eyes. "Who is he?" Her voice nearly broke from the question. This was killing her now. She had known Drew had his secrets, heck even she had a few, but she was starting to think his were far bigger. She felt a little hurt. They had been friends for years, and she really knew nothing about him.

J hummed to herself as if in thought. "That's not really my place to tell you. But I will tell you that he's no good. After all, look at the mess he got you in."

"So if it's just him you're after, why didn't you just kill me?"

J smirked yet again. "Because I figured it would be a waste." She stood up and walked over to the brunette girl. She then took her chin in her hand and looked her over. "Underneath all those bruises, I'm sure you'd be a pretty decent looking girl. With that fiery spirit, you'd fetch a pretty high price."

May's eyes widened. "L-Like human trafficking?" She stuttered. "That's sick!"

"Call it whatever you want, but I know there are plenty of lonely old men that would pay a fortune for a girl like you." With that she removed her hand.

May could feel herself hyperventilating. She was going to be sold off to some perv? No way in hell she was going to let that happen. She ever so quietly felt around behind her, and managed to get her hands on a rough edged rock. She then started rubbing it against the ropes, trying her best not to show any sign of what she was up to.

"You know, I do feel a little sorry for you. I can tell you care for the kid, and look at what that got you." As she said this, she made her way over to Drew and lifted his chin. "This is why men are completely worthless, you're really better off without them."

As she was about to pull away, she let out a gasp as Drew's eyes snapped open. In a swift movement, his hands emerged from behind his back and grabbed a hold of J's shoulders. He then slammed his head forward into hers, causing her to fall back, looking extremely disoriented.

Drew clenched his jaw in pain as a line of blood trickled down his head, that certainly hurt more than he thought it would. He swayed a little as he stood up.

'_Maybe that wasn't the best idea_,' He thought to himself as he staggered over to May to help untie her. He felt a little proud to find that her ropes had already been cut halfway through.

As soon as he helped her to her feet, J was back on hers.

"You stupid brat!" She seethed as her own blood trailed down her face. She too staggered on her feet, and Drew took note of it. Thinking fast, he took the lamp hanging on the wall next to him, and threw it to the floor before them. It shattered, causing the oil to spill out onto the ground and a large fire to separate them from the silver haired woman. They managed to grab their belongings before racing away from the fire with J yelling at them the whole time.

Fortunately for them, they rounded the corner to find the exit of the cave, and they ran out as fast as they could. Knowing she'd be right behind them, Drew practically dragged May into the forest around them for cover, ignoring the fact that she was calling his name.

"Drew!" She yelled as she was pulled along.

He didn't acknowledge her as he continued running.

"Drew!" She yelled again, ripping her wrist from his grasp.

He turned around to glare at her. "We don't have time to stop. She's probably right behind us!" He yelled back. He really wasn't in the mood for this. Thanks to his little stunt back there, his head was killing him.

"Why is she after you Drew?" She asked, ignoring his words.

His eyes widened before looking away from her, clearly not wanting to talk about it.

"She's a bounty hunter. Someone paid her to kidnap you, and I want to know why." She said with narrowed eyes. She was going to get answers.

"That's none of your business." He retorted with narrowed eyes of his own. Was she seriously bringing this up now? That crazy woman could be right behind them.

"She attacked US. She kidnapped US. She was going to SELL ME Drew! She made it my business!" She hissed.

"..." Drew didn't know how to reply. He hadn't really thought it would come to this. He figured he'd help her find her brother and then go on his way. He wasn't planning on her being around when they started to come after him. He was putting her in danger now. She had a right to know.

"The King..." He muttered.

Her mouth hung open from that... The King? As in the King of Unova? As in the leader of The Oppression?

"The King? Of Unova? Why?" She asked, but she was afraid of the answer. Everything she thought she knew about Drew was beginning to fall apart before her.

"Can we just go?" He begged, his head was really throbbing at this point.

"I'm not going anywhere with you until you tell me the truth!" She demanded.

Drew still refused to meet her gaze. He couldn't bring himself to say it. The secrets he'd been hiding since he was a child. The truth that he knew would make her hate him. It would make everyone hate him.

She could see the conflict in his eyes. What was he hiding that was so bad?

"Drew... Why did the leader of The Oppression send a bounty hunter after you?" She questioned a final time. It was quiet, but she knew he heard her.

"Because..." He finally lifted his eyes to look at her. She had never seen him make that expression before. It was filled with so much pain, so much sadness... So much loneliness. They were the eyes of someone who had a dark past about them. Someone who had been through too much.

"Because he is my father."

* * *

><p><strong>Well there it is! His big bad secret! Sorry for leaving it with a cliffhanger here, also sorry that it's kinda a short chapter yet again. But the next chapter is a flashback to Drew's childhood and I'm not done with it yet, but it's already longer than this one, so there's that. It's about how he got to where he is. Fair warning, it's a little dark. With that said, I hope you look forward to it and thanks to everyone for your reviews, they make me happy!<strong>

**Guest (I'll call you guest 1 since yours was the first): Thank you very much for your compliments! ^_^**

**Guess Who: Sorry, I made this one short too! Next one will be longer, I promise! Red is definitely one to pick a fight, he puts up with no one's crap. Hm, oh man, my favorite Pokemon character? That's so hard to choose, but I think I'd have to go with May, and it's mostly for her character development. I love how she started out as this girl who didn't even like Pokemon, to a girl who was so naive (she might still be) and could hardly battle, to beating her rival and becoming a seriously awesome coordinator. My favorite ship is easily contestshipping, but oldrival is high up on the list, nice guess though XD Yes, I do like killing people off, but to be fair, this is a war story, and people die in wars. Also, maybe I'll do another story after this... we'll see. Thanks for always leaving awesome reviews! :)**

**Scriptress: Wow, thank you very much! I hope you keep reading! :D**

**Second Guest: Haha I can see you really want bad things to happen to Drew... well don't worry, they definitely will (like next chapter), but that's younger Drew. Fear not, for future Drew will have many hardships as well, he has a cursed life apparently. Thanks for the review!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Unova Region 18 years ago...**

Caitlin Harmonia was twenty two when she found out she was pregnant with her second child. It was a happy day for her and it was all she could think about as she wandered through the palace gardens with a skip in her step.

She was the current reigning queen in the region of Unova, married to King Ghetsis. She had long blond hair that fell in waves passed her hips. Her eyes were a beautiful emerald that shined just as much as the jewel.

Hearing she was having another child was exceptional news to her. After her first son was born, she was told she would not be able to bare any more children, in fact, it was a miracle she was able to get pregnant the first time. She was okay with this fact. After all, she was able to have one beautiful child, and that was enough for her. It especially appeased her husband considering she was able to give him a male heir. But deep in her heart, she had always wanted more children. Maybe give her current son someone to play with. Not to mention, she'd always wanted a daughter. One with her emerald eyes, but her husband's unique hair color. Yes, that would certainly be a beautiful little girl.

The thought once again brought a smile to the queen's face. She couldn't wait to share the news with her husband. He'd be so happy, she just knew it. But she did not realize just how wrong she was.

"You're what?" He asked in disbelief as soon as he heard the news.

"I'm pregnant." She answered with a stern gaze, clearly not pleased with his response.

Her husband could be a very intimidating man. He was rather tall, and towered over many men, making him seem even more tall compared to her short stature. He always had a fierce expression on his face, which was enhanced by his rough features. His hair was a very light mint green, a unique color passed on through the genes of the royal family. One he had passed on to their first son, and the queen hoped also to their second child.

"Get rid of it!" He demanded.

Her eyes widened in shock. This certainly wasn't the response she was expecting at all.

"How could you say something like that? This is your child!" She chastised.

He glared down at his wife. "Do you not recall what happened the last time you gave birth?" He challenged.

Her gaze fell to the floor as she wrapped her arms protectively around her stomach. She remembered it very well. There were complications during the birth of their first son, so much so, that she nearly lost her life.

"I remember," She replied.

"Then you'll do well to get that thing out of you before it becomes a problem," He said in a harsh voice.

The thought of nearly losing her had almost killed him. Caitlin was the light of his life. Ever since the day he first laid his eyes on her he was in love. Her beautiful golden hair, her angelic face, and her alluring emerald colored eyes. She was everything to him, and he would not allow her to put her life in danger again. They had their child, they were happy. They didn't need another one if it meant putting her at risk.

"I will not! This is not a thing! It's a baby!" She argued with a look of pure anger.

He returned her fierce gaze with one of his own.

"Woman, you will get rid of that thing or so help me-!" He started, but was cut off.

"You'll what? Hm?" She challenged. "What will you do?"

He clenched his jaw in irritation. There really was no one else in the world who would dare challenge him like she did. It was one of the things about her that he found endearing, just not in this moment.

"Mama?" A young voice chimed, breaking the tense silence. They turned their attention to the small green haired boy who had walked in after hearing the yelling. "What's wrong?" He asked her. The two caregivers put in charge of him instantly came running into the room with looks of fear.

"Forgive us your majesty, he ran off before we could stop him," the pink haired girl said in a meek voice.

Caitlin's expression instantly softened as she walked over to her seven year old son. "It's quite alright," She informed the two women. With a nod of her head, they curtsied and left the room.

"You look sad Mama. What's wrong?" N asked, looking up at his mother with concerned grey eyes, the same color as his father's.

She smiled down at him, thankful she had raised such a caring child.

"Nothing at all my darling. In fact, I have good news." She said as she grabbed his hand, leading him out of the throne room and away from his father's rage. "You're going to be a big brother."

The king had stopped talking to her after that, he refused to acknowledge the pregnancy in any way. But it didn't get Caitlin down, after all, she had her best friend. The two often took strolls together, just to talk, and Caitlin relied on this time to get her feelings out.

Young Solidad was only twenty, but was one of the most trusted servants of the royal family as the personal body guard to the queen. She felt honored to be so close to the queen, after growing up together, they were more like sisters than master and servant. She absolutely loved her, and would gladly give her life for her. To her, Lady Caitlin was a kind and compassionate woman, the Unova region was lucky to have such a wonderful queen.

Solidad had long soft pink hair with shining blue eyes. She was a very beautiful woman, and was very sought after by the many men in court, but she paid them no mind. Her focus was always making sure her queen was happy.

"I'm sure he'll come around," She said to her friend. "He just needs some time."

Caitlin shook her head. "He's a very stubborn man." She sighed. "But you're right, once the baby is born, I just know he'll love her!" She placed her hands on her stomach as she said this.

Solidad raised a brow at her words. "How are you so sure it's a girl?" She laughed.

Caitlin smiled softly to herself. "I'm just hoping that if I say it enough, it'll be true."

"Oh, and why do you want it to be a girl so badly?" She inquired.

The queen stopped in her tracks as she looked up into one of the windows of the castle. She could see her son in the middle of a lesson. The poor child was only seven, but as the future king, he was already being properly educated. It was class in the morning, and weapon training in the afternoon. He never seemed to have time to play like a normal child. She hated to see that his childhood was being wasted on such things.

"Because if it's a girl, I know she'll live a happier life." She said in a quiet voice. Solidad followed her friend's gaze and frowned.

"I'm sure, either gender would be happy." She tried to reason.

"No, I don't think a boy would be." She said thoughtfully. "Ghetsis is so strict with N. I know if it's a girl, she won't be so tied down. She'll get to have a real childhood."

Solidad nodded her head in understanding. "So what will her name be then?" She asked to change the subject.

Caitlin smiled a bright smile. "I've thought a lot about it!" She said with excitement. "What do you think of Daniela?"

Solidad smiled at the name. "It's beautiful." She said in awe. "And if it's a boy?"

Caitlin looked thoughtful for a moment before replying, "Andrew, after my father." She decided.

"Andrew huh? I think that's a fine pick. You could call him little Drew." The two giggled at the thought.

For the rest of the queen's pregnancy, it went on without a problem, and before she knew it, the baby was on the way.

"Your majesty! It's happening!" The king froze in place as the servant told him the news.

It was a cold winter's day, a large blizzard was making its way through the Unova region, but the residents of the royal castle were too busy to notice.

The queen was in labor, about to give birth to her second child. Her moans of agony were heard throughout the halls of the palace, leaving all the servants running around in a state of panic.

In the palace's personal medical ward, the queen was breathing hard as the doctor and nurses were busy preparing for the birth. Her best friend was by her side holding her hand.

"You're doing fine," She assured the panting woman.

However, Solidad was worried. She was there for the birth of her dear friend's first child, and just as what happened last time, something about this time seemed off. Her breathing seemed too labored, and her skin looked so white. Everything about her looked fragile. She frantically turned to the doctor.

"Doctor, I think something is wrong!" She exclaimed.

The doctor was quick to rush to the queen's side. Solidad tried to step out of the way, but the queen refused to release her hand.

"Doctor, it's crowning!" The nurse announced, tearing the doctor's attention from the weakening mother, to the baby.

The queen let out an agonizing scream, loud enough for the whole castle to hear. Out of the corner of her eye, Solidad caught sight of a small patch of green peeking through the door.

N. He was only eight, but already had wisdom that was far beyond his years. But even with an intelligent mind, this was still not something for an eight year old to be seeing. One of the nurses quickly ushered the young prince away.

Solidad's attention was once again brought back to the situation at hand as her friend let out another strangled moan.

"You're doing so well," She told her friend.

Caitlin forced a weak smile of thanks to her friend. She knew this delivery would be hard, but something did indeed feel very wrong.

She let out another cry of pain as she struggled to keep up with her friend's constant urges to push. Finally she gave one final push and the sounds of crying enveloped the room.

"It's a boy," One of the nurses said as she looked him over and cleaned him up.

Caitlin smiled ever so softly at the news. It wasn't the girl she had wanted, but she still couldn't have been any happier. The new baby was then placed in her arms. She looked down at the small form before her. Much like his brother, he seemed to look just like his father, green hair and all, well minus one detail.

"He has your eyes," Solidad whispered over her shoulder, bringing a bigger smile to her friend's face.

"Welcome to the family little Andrew," She whispered to him. She then motioned for Solidad to take the baby as she started feeling weak.

"Caitlin?" Solidad questioned as her friend seemed to go quiet.

She instantly looked up to the nurse next to her in fear, the nurse returning her expression.

"Doctor, she's fading!" The nurse cried out urgently.

Solidad was pushed back, holding the small bundle close. She watched in fear as the doctor shouted some things to the nurses, all looking frantic.

"It's going to be okay little Drew," She said to the baby, mostly as a way to try and reassure herself as she backed up against the wall.

After what seemed like ages, the group around her dispersed, just as the King burst through the door. His gaze first fell on Solidad, she had sagged to the floor, practically clutching the baby as her only anchor to real life. There were tears running down her face, and yet she remained silent. His eyes then turned to the row of silent medical workers before landing on his wife.

She wasn't moving and her face was white. Then, there was the blood. There was so much blood. He slowly staggered over to the bed and fell to his knees. He knew she was gone as soon as he saw Solidad on the floor, but he didn't want to accept it. He lifted a shaky hand to cup her face that was now growing cold.

He was too late… He was stuck in a meeting, and he was too late. He was so stubborn about it, he didn't make an effort to be here. He lost the love of his life… and he was too late to say goodbye. He had hardly even talked to her for her entire pregnancy. He was too stubborn. She died without him telling her how much he loved her. The tears cascaded down his face as he sobbed into her chest.

"I'm sorry," He managed to choke out. "I'm so sorry!"

Other than his cries, the room was silent as they mourned the loss of their beloved queen.

When his sobbing finally stopped, the King stood up, a dark expression on his face.

Solidad was now once again standing against the wall, eyeing him wearily. She stiffened as he made his way over to her and glanced down at the child in her arms.

"It's a boy," She told him with a hoarse voice.

The baby then finally looked up at his father, and a flash of anger crossed the man's features. He had her eyes. He had her enchanting emerald eyes. They looked just like hers and he hated it. He instantly despised the fact that this child had taken away his most important person.

"Get that thing away from me." He said in a dark voice.

Solidad's eyes widened in shock. She was unsure just what to do. She could only gawk at him, not entirely sure if he was serious.

"I said get that monster out of my sight!" He demanded, his loud voice startling the baby and making him cry.

Solidad instantly ran from the room, holding young Andrew close as she tried to calm him down.

"Sssssh… It's okay… It's going to be okay." She assured him. She stopped when she saw young N waiting patiently in the hallway.

She tried her best to smile at him, but it was obviously fake.

"Would you like to meet your baby brother?" She asked as she knelt down to show him.

N's eyes widened in excitement as he looked down at the small pink blob that was his little brother.

"What's his name?" He asked with curiosity. He'd never seen a baby before.

"Andrew," She told him.

His face lit up with recognition. "Like Grandpa Drew!" He exclaimed.

"Exactly!" She said with a smile, one that was much more genuine.

N put his finger out, and the baby grabbed it with his delicate hand.

"Nice to meet you, Drew." N said with a grin.

"It'll be your job to really look out for him, okay?" Solidad informed him with a serious expression.

N eagerly nodded. "I promise, I'll always protect you." He said to his baby brother.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Four Years later...<strong>

"Father! Father look what I drew today!" The small four year old child said excitedly as he spotted his father walking down the hall. He ran to his father's side in an instant, holding up a small drawing.

King Ghetsis looked down at the picture his son showed him. There were four stick figures standing in a line, three with green hair, and one with long yellow hair. It was obviously supposed to be their family, but the thought merely made the king annoyed. They didn't have a family anymore, thanks to the child standing before him.

He simply narrowed his eyes at the boy before ignoring him and walking away, spotting Solidad on his way.

"Solidad," He called to her, causing the woman to freeze in place.

"Yes your majesty?" She replied.

"I do recall telling you to educate the boy, not have him drawing pointless pictures." He stated in an irritated voice.

She nearly frowned from his words, but managed to keep a straight face. "He's only a child," She said back.

"I'm well aware of what he is, but he's my child, not yours. You will teach him like I instructed, or I will find someone else who will." He said in a dark tone.

She didn't bother hiding the disapproving look that crossed her face. His child? Please. He hardly ever gave the poor by the time of day. She was the one who was raising him. As far as he was concerned, Drew was his child only by name.

"Of course, your Royal Highness." She said in a bitter voice, a tone that didn't go unnoticed.

"Just remember." He started as he reached over and grabbed her chin, pulling her face close to his. "The only reason I've kept you around is because of Caitlin. The second you prove to be too much of a hassle, I'll dispose of you myself." He warned.

The defiant expression never left her face as he released her and walked away. She watched him leave before turning her attention to young Drew. Her expression instantly softened as she laid eyes on him. His emerald eyes were brimmed with tears, and the hurt expression on his face nearly broke her heart. He didn't deserve to be treated that way.

"Did I do something to make father hate me?" He asked quietly, seemingly trying his best not to cry.

She instantly went over to him and knelt down to his level. "No, of course not." She assured him. "Your father loves you very much."

"No. He loves Big Brother." He said as the tears finally started falling. "He HATES me and I don't know why!" He cried.

Solidad silently pulled him into her arms. She had no idea what to say to him. She had no explanation for him as to why his father treated him with indifference. How could she tell him that his father blames him for the death of his mother?

Ever since the death of Lady Caitlin, the king was no longer the same. He turned dark, holding no sympathy for anyone. The way he ruled, turned evil. Suddenly, his only care was gaining more power. He started expanding his empire, forcing all able bodied men in the region to join his army. Solidad even heard rumors that he was planning an invasion of other regions.

When it came to his children, his attitude was just as dark. As the heir, and future king, he was very strict with N. He kept him in a tight schedule of teaching and training. But even with his strict nature, he was very proud of N, and made it known. Then there was Drew. His training schedule was even worse than N's was at his age. Nothing but constant teachings and weapon training. Not that it bothered Drew, he took all his teaching very seriously, in hopes of making his father proud, and yet, he never managed to. Ghetsis resented Drew for the death of his wife, and nothing Drew ever did would be good enough for him. To him, his second son was nothing but a disappointment.

"Geez, you're not crying AGAIN are you?" A familiar voice chastised.

Drew quickly shot away from Solidad as he wiped wildly at his face to try and hide his tears.

"I wasn't crying!" He instantly denied as his older brother came into view.

"You know, I WAS going to ask if you wanted to play tag with me and Zorua. But I don't know if we want to play with a baby who cries all the time." N said with a sly smile as he looked down at his brother, the Zorua on his shoulder mimicking his expression.

"I wanna play! I wasn't crying!" The four year old once again denied.

N gave him a disbelieving look before looking over to his partner Pokemon. "What do you think? Should we let him play?"

The Pokemon leaped off of his shoulder and transformed into an exact replica of the four year old. He then reached over and flicked his double in the forehead before running off toward the large door to the outside garden. The Pokemon turned human stopped only to look back and smirk before running out the door.

"I guess that means you're it," He told his little brother with a grin before running after his Pokemon.

"No fair!" Drew yelled out as he ran after them.

Solidad smiled to herself, it was just like N to cheer up his brother whenever he was down. She knew that while he didn't really have much of a father, Drew did have an older brother who would do anything for him.

She looked up at the large painting that was hung above where she was standing. It was a portrait of the late queen, done right before she had passed away. Her elegant smile added a shine to her emerald eyes, and her beautiful hair was draped elegantly over her shoulder. It certainly was a beautiful picture, the first thing anyone saw when they entered the castle.

"They're growing up… If only you could be here to see it," She muttered to the painting before walking away to go prepare for Drew's afternoon lessons.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Two years later...<strong>

Drew was nervous, extremely nervous. Today was the day he picks his partner Pokemon. The Pokemon that will be with him for the rest of his life. Whatever he picks today, will affect the rest of his life.

"Nervous?" Solidad asked with a smile next to him.

He narrowed his eyes at her with a pout. "Of course not." He quickly replied, but his shaking hands betrayed him.

He looked out at the many eggs that filled the room. There were hundreds of them, each one containing a different Pokemon. They were all lined up on shelves in rows. He let out a nervous sigh as he bit his lip. What if he picked a bad one? What if he picked a weak Pokemon, and he disappointed his father yet again.

"Don't worry about what anyone else will think," Solidad said quietly next to him. He looked over to find she had bent down to his level.

Drew lowered his head, hiding the sad expression on his face. How did she always know just what he was thinking?

"I just want one that will make him like me." He muttered. "I want a dragon type, like his." He finally looked up to her, his face showing that he really was just a child. A child that wanted nothing more than his father's approval.

She lifted her hand to pat his head as she smiled at him. "He may not show it, but he already loves you." She assured him.

Drew frowned, clearly not agreeing with her. He let out a sigh as he stole a glance behind him. There was his older brother, standing with his two personal attendants. Anthea and Concordia were to N what Solidad was to Drew, and that basically made them family. It was normal that the entire family would be there for such an occasion, but of course, his father was not present. Noticing his disappointment, N gave him a reassuring smile and a thumbs up.

With his lips pressed together, Drew turned around and started his way into the room full of eggs. There were so many, how was he supposed to know which one to pick? There were different shapes and colors, there wasn't really one that stood out from the others.

He wandered around, unsure of what to do. Should he just grab the closest one? Maybe he should compare sizes and go for the biggest? It was then that he heard a noise to his right. An orange egg seemed to be shaking around. Was it hatching? His eyes widened as it shook a little too forcefully, causing it to tip over and roll off the shelf. He instantly dove to the ground, throwing his arms in front of him. The egg landed right into his hands and he let out a sigh of relief.

A sat himself up and stared down at the egg in his hands. It wasn't the biggest egg there, but it wasn't too small either. It was a light orange color and he wondered if it was a fire type. Perhaps it was a Charmander? It certainly had the right coloring. The thought of raising a Charmander into a powerful Charizard brought a smile to his lips. With his decision made, he stood up and headed back to Solidad.

She smiled at him as soon as he came into view, his orange egg held in his arms. "Is this the one then?" She asked as he stopped in front of her.

He nodded his head and smiled up at her. He really hoped it would be a good one. N walked over to him and bent over to get a look at the egg. His expression was neutral as he looked it over. Drew was silent as he waited for his brother to speak.

"I'd say it looks like a real winner." He finally approved before ruffling his little brother's hair.

Drew's face lit up from his brother's words.

"I'm going to raise it to be strong just like Zoroark!" He stated with pride.

N smiled at his brother as Solidad smirked at him. "Looks like he might give you a run for your money," She joked to the older sibling.

"He just might," N agreed.

A week later Drew's egg had hatched, and the Trapinch inside was everything he had wanted. While Trapinch itself wasn't a dragon type like he had hoped, it would eventually evolve into a Vibrava, and from there, into a Flygon. He was beyond excited, he just knew his father would finally be proud.

He ran down the many halls of the castle, his newly hatched Pokemon held rightly in his arms. Finally he found his father sitting in his office. He hesitated for a second before he settled his nerves and knocked on the door. His father looked up at him over the stack of papers before him. As soon as he realized who it was, he narrowed his eyes.

"This better be important," He muttered in a gruff voice.

Drew swallowed the lump in his throat before answering. "W-Well, my egg hatched. I wanted to show you my partner Pokemon."

"Is that so?" Ghetsis finally lowered his eyes to look at the Trapinch held close to his son.

"He's only a ground type now, but someday he'll be a big Flygon, and he'll be really powerful! No one will beat him!" Drew said excitedly.

His father merely scoffed at his words. "A powerful Pokemon means nothing. If the trainer is weak then the Pokemon will be too." With that said, he returned his gaze back to his paper work.

Drew could only stare at his father in disbelief. He really thought that his father would finally be proud of him, and yet, he was just called a weakling. It was then that he finally realized that he would never be good enough. He would never be acknowledged like N. Nothing he ever did would make his father happy, and it really made him mad.

He clenched his jaw as his eyes narrowed into a fierce glare. Trapinch looked up questioningly at his trainer as his arms started shaking in rage. Noticing the change in atmosphere, the King once again looked up at his son, only to be met with nostalgia. Drew was glaring at him, his emerald eyes holding such fire. Eyes he hadn't seen in many years. In that moment, Drew looked just like his mother.

For a split second, it almost made him happy to see an expression that he never thought he'd ever see again. But then, what right did he have to make that face? To make her face? The King rose from his chair hoping to intimidate the boy enough to wipe the fierce look from his face, but the glare stayed in place.

Ghetsis then made his way over to him, as if some warning, yet the child refused to back down. "Wipe that defiant look from your face boy." He verbalized his warning.

"Why?" Drew quickly responded, his complete defiance evident in that one word.

Now it was Ghetsis' turn to give a fierce glare.

"What did you say?" He questioned.

"Why do you care? You never care. Why can't I make whatever faces I want?" He asked with contempt.

"Because I'm your father and I told you to!" His father yelled.

Drew couldn't hold back anymore. "No you're not! I don't have a father! You're nothing to me and I hate you!" He screamed at the man.

In an instant Drew's anger was gone as he was suddenly on the ground, his face stinging and eyes wide. He lifted a shaky hand to his lip to find blood. He hit him. His father actually hit him. He brought his wide eyes up to see his father standing over him, the rage still very apparent on his face, and also a hint of… remorse? No, his father would never regret anything, not even hitting his own son.

"I warned you," He said as he glared down at the child. The small Trapinch was now very upset and started growling at the man that had dared strike his trainer.

The King simply scoffed before walking back to his desk. "Get out of my sight," He said without sparing another glance at the boy.

Still trembling, Drew managed to lift himself up and run out of the room, his Pokemon following closely behind him. He didn't get far before he ran passed Solidad.

"Drew?" She called out to him, but he ignored her. He didn't want to see anyone right now. He just wanted to get away. Get away from his awful life. "Drew!"

Tears threatened to fall as he ran, but he held them in. He wouldn't cry for that man. He'd never let himself cry again. He wouldn't let himself show weakness. He'd act brave and strong, just like N. How he wished he was N.

Drew didn't know how long he had been in his secret hiding spot before he had been found. He was hidden inside a rose bush deep in the palace gardens. He had heard roses were his mother's favorite, and because of that, they were his favorite too. Whenever he just wanted to get away he'd come here. No one ever find him when he'd hide within the thorns of the rose bushes. Only one person knew that he liked to hide there. He glared hard at the pair of shoes that had stopped right in front of his hiding place. He didn't have to look up to see who they belonged to.

"Drew, what happened?" N's familiar voice questioned.

Drew's only response was pulling his knees further up against his chest and burying his face in them.

N sighed before lowering himself on his stomach so he could see inside the bush and look at his brother.

"Don't make me drag you out of there," He warned.

Drew finally lifted his head to look at his brother. N was surprised to find that Drew hadn't been crying, but instead, had a dark look in his eyes. Like he was swimming with rage. He was a little taken aback. He'd never seen his little brother make such an expression. It was then that he noticed the blood and the swelling on his little brother's lip, and he made a glare of his own.

"Who hit you?" He asked, his tone now darker than before.

Drew refused to meet his brother's gaze. He didn't need N defending him.

"Father did it, didn't he?" It was more of a statement than a question.

He didn't need his brother to reply, the expression on the young boy's face said it all.

"That son of a bitch," N instantly jumped to his feet.

Drew was quick to climb out of the bush as soon as his brother started stomping away. He reached out and grabbed onto his shirt. N looked down at his little brother in confusion.

"I won't be weak." Drew stated firmly.

N raised an eyebrow. "He hit you Drew. You're six years old. HE'S the weak one."

Drew's glare returned as he looked up at his brother. "You can't say anything!" He pleaded.

"Why are you defending him?" N questioned.

"I'm going to show him I'm not weak. I'm going to be strong. All by myself." There was a fire burning in his eyes, and for a moment, N nearly forgot that his brother was only six. "So big brother… Don't say anything…"

N's expression was grim as he thought about what his brother was asking. If he left it alone, there was a big chance that he would get hit again. Yet, Drew didn't seem bothered by it. N wasn't sure he could just stand by and watch. After all, he'd promised he would always protect his little brother. But for now, he decided to go with his brother's wishes, but with a watchful eye.

He ever so slowly nodded his head to which Drew's expression finally relaxed. However, he would soon regret that decision.

Drew was very surprised the next day when he found that his father had called him to the training room. It was a large room full of every kind of weapon anyone could think of. There were targets for archery, and dummies for close combat training, all just for those in the palace. Solidad would take him here sometimes to work on his weapon training, and for only being six, he really knew his way around a sword.

However, this situation was strange. His father had never made any effort to meet with him. In fact, he did just about everything he could to avoid the child altogether. So why was he suddenly calling him out now? Drew had a feeling it had to do with what went down the day before. The bruise on his face was still throbbing, but he was glad Solidad had yet to see it. He avoided her well enough yesterday, and went to bed early just so she wouldn't find out. She wasn't known to be as calm as his brother, and he just knew if she found out, she would confront his father. He wondered just what was going through his father's mind.

Drew could feel his pulse rising from the tense atmosphere. His father stood before him, staring down at the young six year old with an unreadable expression. Drew couldn't deny that he was very much intimidated by his father, but he refused to lower his gaze like he used to. He refused to show any weakness.

"Pick up your sword." He father instructed as he unsheathed the sword on his belt and used it to point to the small sword hanging on the wall that Drew often used to practice.

The young boy looked to the sword and then back to his father with a questioning gaze. Why did he want him to do that? What exactly was he planning on doing? After a second of hesitation, Drew slowly walked over to the rack of weapons, and pulled his sword from its place. He then slowly turned back around to face his father.

"In this family, we settle our disagreements with our swords." Ghetsis finally spoke again. "It's what I've always done with your brother, and it's what I'll do with you."

Drew only stared at his father in confusion. "I don't get it," he said in confusion. He had never heard of N and his father having any arguments. Well, there was one time N spoke out against their father. After that, N had disappeared for over a week, only to suddenly reappear claiming he just went for a trip. Obviously a lie.

"No one raises their voice at me without punishment." He stated with narrowed eyes as he raised his sword, pointing it at Drew. "This is your punishment."

With those words said, he surged forward. Drew was only able to gasp as he was just barely able to jump out of the way, causing his sword to fall from his grasp and go skidding across the floor. He stared at it in shock as he turned around to find his father was coming back at him. He quickly scrambled to his feet as he ran to his sword, but his father caught him first. His feet were knocked out from under him as his father swept his sword low. Drew slammed into the ground with a grunt, knocking the air from his lungs. He let out a wheeze as he struggled to get back on his feet. He couldn't quite stand, but had managed to crawl his way over to his sword. He griped it with a shaky hand before getting back on his feet. As soon as he turned around he was too late to find that his father was already attacking again. He thrust his sword forward and Drew tried to move, but still ended up getting his arm sliced. He cried out in pain and instantly brought his other arm to clutch his now bleeding wound. It was the first time he'd ever been cut with a sword that deeply and the pain nearly made him drop his sword once again, but he held it firmly in his grasp.

Now he was really scared. His father was serious, and now with is right arm injured, he had no way to even hold up his sword properly. Despite this, he once again held his sword up. His father stared down at him with an expression so demeaning, it was as if he were fighting an annoying bug.

"Pathetic," He muttered as he looked down at the small boy. He was panting and the blood was dripping down his arm, but the child didn't look like he was giving up. He once again surged forward, he flipped his sword and slammed the blunt end into Drew's stomach.

Drew let out a choking sound as he once again fell to the ground. He struggled to catch his breath as his arms wrapped protectively around his abdomen. Ghetsis merely stared down at the boy as he coughed and struggled to breathe on his hands and knees.

He then flipped his sword back around and pointed the sharp end at the child on the floor. "Maybe I should just kill you. Then all my problems would be gone. I wouldn't have to look at you anymore." Drew's eyes widened from his father's harsh words. He was a monster, a complete and total monster. To think he had spent his whole life trying to get the man's attention.

"Put the sword down or I swear I'll slit your throat right here," A familiar voice said in a harsh tone.

Drew lifted his eyes to find his guardian angel standing above him, holding her sword at his father's throat. Neither of them had even heard her approach. The King looked over to Solidad with an unreadable expression. She had finally crossed a line.

"You do know that threatening your King is punishable by death?" He stated with a dark tone of his own.

She didn't waver as she pushed her sword up closer against his neck, causing the man to let out a hiss. Slowly but surely, he lowered his sword away from his son. He then threw the sword to the ground and slowly started backing away. He knew just how deadly Solidad could be, picking a fight with her when she was that pissed off would be a death wish.

She lowered her sword, but didn't remove her eyes from the man before her as she stepped closer to Drew. He was still trying to catch his breath as she bent down and picked him up in one arm, while keeping the sword in the other arm. He instantly wrapped his arms around her as she stood back up. She then held her sword back up to point it at the fuming king.

"You will NEVER hurt him again," She warned before she turned around and walked away.

Drew stole a glance over her shoulder to find his father glaring at them as they walked away.

"I'm so sorry, I should've done something. This is all my fault!" N said with frustration as he slammed his fist against the wall. Solidad had explained what happened to him after she put a tired out Drew to bed. His injuries weren't too bad, other than the cut on his arm, but he was pretty bruised up and after she treated him, she insisted he rested.

"No," Solidad said with a quiet voice. "It was both of our fault. We are supposed to protect him, and we both failed."

N was silent as he glared at the ground. He looked to be lost in thought. His fists clenched at his side until he thought his hands might go numb. He knew what had to be done in order to assure his brother's safety, and he wished so badly that there was another way, but he couldn't think of anything else.

"You have to leave," He finally spoke up. Solidad quirked a brow, not quite understanding what he meant. "You have to take Drew, and leave the palace." He clarified.

Her eyes widened as the words left his mouth.

"You do realize what you're saying? Where exactly would you have us go? How far do you think I'd get with the second crowned prince of Unova?" She chastised.

N finally looked at her with a fierce expression. "You can't stay here! After today's stunt, my father will have your head." He explained. She knew that much, and she hadn't exactly thought that far ahead yet, her only concern was the safety of the now sleeping six year old. "Drew can't stay here either. I don't know if he really would've killed him, but after what happened today, he can't stay here."

She frowned as she thought about his words. He was right. Her days were definitely numbered, and with how easily Ghetsis abused his own son, there was no telling how long Drew would last with him.

"And what of you?" She asked.

N smiled, but Solidad easily saw through it. It was a smile that held so much sadness, and despite the fact that he was only fourteen, she felt as though he was older than she was. "I'll be fine here. Besides, if we both go, we'd never get away. But if it's just him, I know that Drew can make it. I know you'll get him out of here. If anyone can hide him, it's you."

"Are we just supposed to hide forever?" She muttered.

N shook his head as he looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Someday, Drew will grow up, and he'll come back. When he does, he'll be the one on that throne."

Solidad was even more confused now. "Why not you?" She questioned.

She nearly missed the sad expression that crossed his face yet again, but she knew it was there, and she knew that N was hiding something. "Let's just say he's more fit for it than I am."

"N, what aren't you telling me?" Her voice was filled with worry after hearing his response.

"Nothing you need to worry about. I'll work on the plan, so just be ready to go by tonight." Was his simple reply before he went into Drew's room and closed the door behind him.

He silently made his way over to the bed his brother way sleeping in and pulled up a chair. He sat down at stared softly at the small child that he cherished so deeply. He eyed the bruise on his little brother's face, and he hated himself for allowing it to happen. He was supposed to protect him, and he failed. He had no right to call himself his brother. That was why he had to get away. Solidad was the only one that could keep him safe now. He bit his lip as he realized that he may very well never see his brother again.

"Big brother?" His brother's small voice broke him out of his inner turmoil, and he turned his attention to the child. "Why do you look so sad?"

N nearly lost it then and there, but he managed to keep himself together. "You and Solidad are going to go away for a while..." He answered.

Drew frowned in confusion. Why would his brother be sad about that? "Why? Where are we going?"

"You just need to be away from Father for a while. So he can't hurt you anymore."

"But, you're coming with us. Right?" A hint of fear crossed the child's face.

N shook his head, his next words felt like he was ripping out a part of his heart. "I'm afraid not. It can only be you and Solidad."

"Then I don't wanna go!" Drew instantly replied, jerking himself up in bed, only to wince from the sudden movement.

N was quick to push the child back down. "You have to. Solidad is going to keep you safe, and take care of you like she always does. Besides, it's not forever."

"It's not?" Drew's eyes were watering at the thought of leaving without his brother, but he refused to let any tears fall.

"Of course not. Someday, you'll come back. Then, the one to stop our Father, will be you." He knew Drew didn't know what he was talking about, but someday he would. Their father was a tyrant, and he needed to be stopped. The only one who deserved that crown was Drew. He was the only one that could fix their father's mistakes.

"I don't want to go without you," Drew muttered.

N stood up and ruffled his brother's hair. "Be good," he told him before leaving the room. Solidad was standing outside, her expression was full of sadness as soon as she saw the pained look on N's face.

He gave her a nod before he walked away down the hall. He had a plan to make. He needed to ensure that his brother got far far away before their father even realized he was gone.

N's plan wasn't a perfect plan, but it certainly did the job. He needed to gain his father's attention, and what better way to do that than to set the palace garden on fire? He really hated to see his mother's beloved rose gardens burn to the ground, but he knew she wouldn't mind it if it ensured Drew could get away. However, there was still a part of him that ached seeing one of the last two pieces he had of his mother turn to ash. The other piece was riding away with Solidad, going to a place even he didn't know. It was for the best that he didn't know where they were going. Solidad said she had connections, and so all he had to do was ensure their get away. He let out a sigh as he looked off to the roads leading away from the palace, knowing that his little brother was traveling them.

"Good luck, little Drew." He smiled to himself as he heard his father yell in rage behind him.

"Solidad, where are we going?" Drew questioned his care taker as he clutched his Trapinch closely. They were riding away on a Rapidash and he looked back to stare hard at the smoke that was rising over the palace. He wasn't sure what his brother did, but it seemed to have caused quite the commotion.

"I have a friend near by that raises bird Pokemon. He'll lend us one and we'll use it to go to the Hoenn Region." She explained.

"Why?" He asked. She nearly rolled her eyes. He never did like to go along with anything without a reason why.

"Because it is not in your father's control," She answered.

"How long will we be there?" He inquired.

Now that was a question she really didn't know the answer to. "I don't know," she answered truthfully. "I really don't know."

With that the castle disappeared from their view. Solidad knew that when Drew goes back, he'll need to be ready. She had to train him, to ensure that when he eventually did see his father again, he'd be able to kill him. Because freeing the world from his wicked father, was now his destiny.

* * *

><p><strong>Whoa guys, this chapter is like two chapters in one. Talk about a monster of a chapter! I thought about breaking it up and making it two short chapters, but I promised this one would be long, and boy did I deliver. Any way, I actually don't really like this chapter, I feel like half way through I realized how long it was getting and then tried to condense it, and now I feel like it doesn't blend well... Oh well, I got it done, and I am on a roll with these weekly updates! Thanks to all my readers, I wouldn't have made it this far without you guys! Also, if you're wondering who Caitlin is, she's an elite four from black and white, just in case you want to get a good picture of her in your head. I really wanted someone gentle looking for Drew's mom, and after spending over an hour looking through every female pokemon character in existence, I went with her.<strong>

**Queenspeller67: Wow, I'm impressed. You went through and reviewed every chapter! Thanks so much! I really like to hear people's thoughts as they progress through the story! I'm glad you're liking it!**

**Guess Who: Well I have a pretty good idea of all the characters I'm going to kill off, and here's hoping none of your favorites are on that list :P Hope this chapter answered your question, yes Drew's father is a crazy evil power hungry man. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :)**

**Forevrshine: Yes I'm sorry about the cliffhanger, but that was such a perfect place to put one! But hey, you only had to wait a week for an update, so there's that! Haha thanks for your review! :D**

** : May's reaction is a mystery that will be revealed next chapter (I'm still unsure about what it will be). Also, this chapter seems to have answered the N being Drew's brother question for you. Ash's status will be given next chapter as well, and ah someone brings up the megas, you'll have to wait and see on that one! Thanks for reviewing :)**

**VagantemAnima: Wow thank you so much! I'm blushing here! I'm glad you're liking the story so much and I hope that you keep reading! It's awesome reviews like this that really encourage me to write! :)**

**Scriptress: Okay, this review. Much like you, I can't even express how happy it made me. I honestly don't think I even deserve such praise. I'm sitting here grinning like an over excited kid in a candy store just from reading it. Though now I'm a little scared that any future chapters might disappoint. Thanks for pointing out that error, my fingers seem to type faster than my brain, and I'm really bad about going back and proof reading, I should probably get a proof reader. As for May collecting her arrows, I originally had a scene that showed her doing that, but I ended up cutting it out, and took that small detail with it. Perhaps I should include it again, because, yes she does in fact recollect her arrows, otherwise she'd have none left XD Thank you times a million for that awesome review! I hope you continue reading!**


	20. Chapter 20

May stood in shock as Drew's words sank in. Father? As in he is that man's son? As in Drew is the child of a king? That would make him a prince, right? Not just any prince. The prince of Unova. The prince of the country that brought war and destruction to their world. The son of the evil king that basically ruined her life. Suddenly she couldn't look at Drew as the same person anymore. The more she looked at him, the more she realized that she really knew NOTHING about him. How could he keep something like that a secret for so long? What the heck is he doing fighting with the Defiance? Is he a spy? No, why would his father send someone to capture him if he was on their side? She figured Drew held no allegiance to his father, but then again, how could she know? She didn't even know who he was.

"So is Drew even your real name?" She asked in a bitter voice.

A look crossed his face that she couldn't read before he replied in annoyance. "Don't be stupid, of course it is." He muttered.

"How could I know if that's true? After all, you've lied about everything else." Her voice was full of venom striking his heart, and her every word felt like a direct blow.

"It's not a lie if I never even talked about it. I don't recall my lineage ever coming up in a conversation." He responded in an unintentionally cold tone.

"Are you seriously trying to justify not telling me about something like this? How can you call yourself my friend? Does Gary know?" Her expression was starting to harden, she was trying to cope with how betrayed she was feeling.

"No, he doesn't. It's not exactly something that comes up in a casual conversation. Did you want me to say 'Oh hey, I"m Drew. By the way, my father is an evil king that plans on world domination, but don't worry, I'm nothing like him?'" He said back with sarcasm.

Her eyes narrowed. "You really are the worst..." She said through clenched teeth.

Now he glared back. "You're one to talk. You can't exactly blame me for things my father has done. Clearly I'm not on his side." He said with crossed arms.

"That's the thing." She started. "I'm not upset about who your father is. I know better than most what it's like to have a father you wish you weren't related to!"

His eyes widened at that. He wasn't aware she had problems with her father. "Then... why are you mad?" His anger was already starting to evaporate.

"Because you didn't tell me..." She said in a quiet voice. "After everything we've been through... I thought we were friends. But now, I don't even know who you are anymore."

Her words hit him like a ton of bricks. She didn't care who his father was? Of course, that was just like May. She wouldn't be one to judge someone because of something like that. He really should've known. Part of him wished that he'd told her sooner. Perhaps having someone to talk to about it with, would've been better than keeping it a secret. But he knew that was impossible. He couldn't even tell his best friend about it. It was something Solidad had made him promise. He promised he wouldn't get anyone involved. So much for that.

He attempted to take a step toward her. "Stay away from me!" She shouted as soon as he moved. He froze on the spot as he saw tears start to flow down her face. "I'm just really confused... and..." She tried to speak, but her voice wouldn't come out. She didn't know what to say, or what to do, but she didn't want him near her. All faith she had in him had been ripped from her, and it felt like part of her heart was taken with it. Her Drew was gone, all she saw before her now was a stranger, and she hated it. She wished she'd never asked. She wished she could still see Drew as himself, but now all she saw was a liar.

Drew frowned from her response. This is why he never told her. He didn't want her to give him the same betrayed expression she was giving him now. All he could think to do now, was just tell her the truth. "I ran away when I was six," He said in a low and quiet voice, but he knew she heard him.

She made a sniffling noise, but other than that, didn't seem to acknowledge what he said, so he continued.

"My mother died giving birth to me. For that reason, my father always hated my existence. Despite that, growing up, I wanted nothing more than for him to notice me. I wanted him to tell me, just once, 'Nice job son.'" Drew let out a sad chuckled at the memory. He didn't really know why he was telling her this. She already heard what she wanted. Yet he couldn't leave it at that. He felt like he had to explain himself to her. "When I finally realized he would never look at me as anything more than an annoyance, I lashed out at him. I guess that was the breaking point, because the next day he beat me to a pulp." May's eyes widened as she finally looked back at him. He had a smile like he was trying to laugh it off, but his eyes gave away the pain. "So my mother's closest friend took me away. She raised me and trained me to fight. She taught me everything I know, so that some day I can go back." May's eyes were red from crying, but the tears finally stopped as she listened. "When I get back, I'm going to kill him, and I'm going to end this war."

All May could do was stare. He's had all that weighing on his shoulders this whole time? Her eyes started watering again. Jeez, she was turning into such a cry baby.

"I know you probably hate me now, and I'm sorry for getting you involved. I just thought you should know that. I'll get out of your hair now." With those words he turned to walk away.

May let out a quiet gasp as he turned away from her. Her thoughts instantly drifted back to when he had threatened to leave her and Ash. She remembered how she was afraid that if she let him walk away, she'd never see him again. The same fears came flooding back and before she could even think about what she was doing, she started moving. She was wrong, this was still her Drew. Sure he had kept a huge secret from her, but everyone had their secrets, even her. No matter what he had kept from her, she knew that the Drew, that she'd spent that past month getting to know, was real, and she didn't want to let him go. She knew that she couldn't stand the thought of him not being her in life, no matter how upset she was with him. Drew was surprised to find that May had charged toward him and before he could even turn around, she'd tackled him to the ground.

"You don't get to say all that and then just walk away!" She yelled at him as she sat on top of him. Her tears were once again streaming down her face and were falling on his cheek. His eyes were wide as she stared at him with a glare, which wasn't very intimidating considering she was still crying. "You big stupid jerk!" She shouted, pounding her fists on his chest, but he made no efforts to stop her. "You're right! I hate you! You're so selfish to keep all of that to yourself! And you're stupid to think that you can just walk away and leave me alone!" Her fists finally stopped hitting him as she seemed to grow tired. "Why couldn't you just tell me?" Her breathing was hard at this point, as she seemed to calm down. He was staring at her in shock from her outburst.

"I'm sorry," was all he managed to mutter.

"You better be, stupid Grasshead," She insulted yet again as she wiped away the tears on her face. "From now on, tell me everything."

She didn't miss the embarrassed look that crossed his face before he turned his head to the side so she couldn't see. "I get it already, so get off Bandanna. I can't breathe with you sitting on me."

May seemed to suddenly realize the position they were in and her face turned bright red. She instantly jumped off of him and sat on her knees looking embarrassed as he was finally able to sit himself up.

"I'm sorry I got upset. You had a reason for not telling me." She mumbled next to him. "Besides, you're still you, no matter who you're related to."

He tilted his head in her direction as if to gauge her sincerity. "So I had to go through that entire freak out just for you to apologize?" He joked.

She turned to glare at him, but the tint of pink on her cheeks showed just how embarrassed she was by her own reaction. "It was just a lot to take in!" She argued.

"Whatever you say." He said with a smile. He was honestly extremely relieved. That could have gone so many other ways. He really did think that she would never want to talk to him again, and yet, she was acting just as she always did. She really was an amazing person.

She turned to look at him and had a big smile of her own. Drew wasn't sure of just what it was in that moment, but her smile made his heart beat faster. He couldn't seem to look away from her. He was completely mesmerized by her blue eyes that were staring intently into his own. Not only did she prove that she was extremely down to earth and caring, but she accepted him despite his past. She was absolutely beautiful, and no other girl had ever made his face turn red just from smiling before. She was more than special to him, and he finally realized why. He was in denial about it before, like he didn't want to admit it because of his past. Yet now... now that she knew... he felt like he could finally be honest with himself. That despite all the bad things he had going on in his life, he might just allow himself to like her as more than a friend.

"Well I may have forgiven you, but it's still going to be a long time before I completely trust you again." She stated as she stood up and dusted herself off.

He watched her with a frown on his face. He figured it wouldn't be that simple. "I guess that's fair." He said with a sigh as he picked himself up as well.

"And you know, you should tell Gary..." She said with an encouraging smile. He raised a brow from her suggestion. "Well I mean, you guys are really close right? I know that if it were Leaf, she'd be really heartbroken if she found out I was keeping something like that from her. I mean she's probably furious enough that I left without her."

Drew's frown deepened as he thought about what she said. Leaf and Gary were probably both upset that they left them behind. He knew that Gary would trust him with anything, and they would both gladly give their life for the other. He was starting to feel guilty for never telling his best friend. "Yeah, Yeah. I got it." He stuffed his hands in his pockets in defeat. Why was she always right?

Suddenly Drew's eyes widened as he heard a sound behind him. He turned around just in time to see a large Salamence flying straight towards them. "Get down!" He yelled as he tackled May to the ground, using his own body to cover hers as the large Pokemon flew over them, attempting to slash at them from above.

He was quick to jump back up to find Hunter J glaring at them while trying to catch her breath. Her skin and clothes were almost completely black, clearly from the fire he had set.

_'Damn, she caught up_.' Drew thought to himself in frustration. They wasted too much time and left themselves exposed. He knew exactly who Hunter J was, Solidad kept him well informed of the many elites in his father's ranks. He just never thought he'd be tracked down so soon, and certainly not so easily. His biggest fear at the moment, was the fact that he knew he stood no chance against her. Maybe if Solidad were around they could take her, but by himself, she was way out of his league.

"You made a big mistake by pissing me off." She seethed.

Drew smirked, he was intimidated, but he certainly wasn't going to show it. "Funny, I was going to say the same thing to you." He said with a flick of his hair. He was quick to grab a hold of his crystal and release his Flygon. The dragon Pokemon hovered in front of his trainer as the Salamence flew down to do the same. The two Pokemon stared each other down, both waiting for their trainer to make a command.

"I'm not messing around with you anymore you little brat." She spat as she held up her arm with her strange contraption on it. She pushed open a small compartment and pulled out a small stone earring. The two teens eyed her in confusion as she put the earring on her ear. "I'll end this quickly." She said in a dark tone as she reached up to touch the stone. Their eyes widened as it started to shine. It was then that they noticed a similar stone was hanging around the Salamence's neck, which then started to glow as well. The two stared in disbelief as the dragon Pokemon started to glow and was engulfed in a large sphere of light. When the light finally disappeared, a new form of the Pokemon stood before them.

The Pokemon's wings had been merged together to form a single huge crescent wing. It's face, neck, body, and even it's tail were noticeably more narrow. The Pokemon, still looked similar to Salamence, but clearly it was not the same.

"I didn't know Salamence could evolve!" May exclaimed with wide eyes.

Drew glared at the Pokemon before him. He wasn't expecting THAT. No wonder Solidad warned him of this woman's power. Not many possessed it. "That's because it can't." He said over his shoulder to the brunette standing behind him. "It's a mega evolution."

"A what?" She questioned.

Drew rolled his eyes from her remark. Did she cheat her way through school? He really was amazed that she even made it passed her first year. He didn't have time to answer before the mega Pokemon attacked. It shot a powerful hyper beam straight toward Flygon.

"Flygon, move!" Drew ordered. Flygon was quick to fly out of range of the attack, leaving behind a large explosion where he was hovering only moments before. "Flamethrower!" He counterattacked. He knew it wouldn't be a good idea to get in close, so he had to gauge just when his opponent could do from far away.

Much to their surprise, Salamence made no effort in dodging. Instead, it let the attack hit, but looked as though it made no real significant damage. Drew narrowed his eyes. He certainly wasn't expecting his attack to do nothing. Just how powerful was this Pokemon?

"Double-edge." J directed. The Salamence let out a cry of acknowledgement before tucking in its legs. Then, before Drew even had time to blink, the dragon Pokemon took off with intense speed toward Flygon.

"Flygon, dodge it!" Drew called out to his Pokemon. Flygon quickly flew up, attempting to get away from the fast approaching mega, but couldn't match the intense speed. The Salamence slammed its self into Flygon, and Flygon let out a cry as his wings crumbled and he started descending.

"Flygon open your wings!" Drew cried out with a sense of urgency as he watched his Pokemon plummet. Following his trainer's command, Flygon's wings burst open and he managed to level himself just before reaching the ground.

May and Drew both let out a sigh of relief as Flygon flew back up to the sky. Drew clenched his fists, he needed to come up with a battle plan. If attacking from far away wouldn't work, then he needed to find a way to get up close and hit them with a powerful attack head on.

"Salamence, flamethrower!" J demanded.

Drew smirked, that was exactly what he needed. "Flygon, use your sandstorm, now!" Drew countered. Salamence launched a powerful fire attack, but Flygon was quick to flap his wings and send out an attack of his own. The large tornado of sand crashed into the fire and broke through the attack. Salamence was unable to move at the large sand tornado blasted into it, inflicting some real damage, but Flygon wasn't done yet.

"Now use dragon tail!" Drew shouted. Just as the sand dissipated, Flygon appeared before the mega and slammed his glowing tail into it. The Salamence cried out as it was thrown down to the ground.

"Nice one!" May cheered next to Drew.

However, Salamence was quick to stand back up. It was clear Drew's attack did damage, but it wasn't enough to really phase it. Drew clenched his jaw as he narrowed his eyes. Mega Salamence just had too good of a defense, there was no way Flygon could break through, especially considering how tired out his Pokemon was already looking in comparison to his opponent.

His eyes flickered to the forest around them. Maybe if he could provide a cover, they could escape into the forest and hide out. But how long would that work? She managed to hunt him down once, he figured it wouldn't take her long to do it again. It was her job after all.

"Salamence, use hyper beam!" J shouted out, continuing the battle.

Well it was the only plan he had. "Flygon dodge and use sand storm again, give cover!" Flygon maneuvered around the incoming hyper beam and flapped his wings to whip up a sandstorm around them.

May and Drew threw their arms over their faces as sand suddenly filled their vision.

"What are you doing?" May questioned him as he reached over and grabbed her hand.

"Running," He informed her as he took off, dragging her behind him. Flygon was easily able to see through the sand, and as soon as he saw his trainer grab May and run, he was right on their tail.

Drew returned Flygon as the two teens ran for cover within the foliage.

"Do you really think we can outrun her?" May inquired as she ran along side Drew, taking note of the fact that their hands were still entwined.

"No, but it gives us time to think of a plan!" He replied over his shoulder.

"And that would be?" She asked, already feeling out of breath.

He gave her a pointed look before giving her hand a light squeeze. "I'll let you know when I think of it."

* * *

><p>Gary was trying his best to keep quiet as he followed secretly behind his squad leader. After finding Ash and then May's bow, they were sure that something had happened to their friends. Red insisted that Leaf and Gary wait for him there, and went ahead. It was Leaf who assured Gary that she would be fine with Ash, and that he should follow Red.<p>

"You have to bring them back," She had told him with a fierce gaze. How could he say no to that? So here he was, attempting to remain hidden as to not alert his squad leader that he was trailing him, knowing well that Red would force him to turn around.

It was then that he heard the sound of footsteps running toward him. He looked over just in time to see a familiar color green dash around a tree and run straight into him. There was a collection of "ows" and moans as the three teens on the floor all tried to collect themselves.

"Drew?" Gary exclaimed as soon as he saw who was sitting in front of him.

"Gary?" Drew questioned, looking extremely confused, as if he'd hit his head a little too hard.

"Gary!" May gasped as she realized who she and Drew had run into. Her eyes instantly went on a search for her best friend.

"May?" Gary went from looking at them with confusion, to making a realization and glaring at them with anger. "You asshole!" He yelled at Drew before forming a fist and punching his friend in the jaw.

"Gary!" May once again gasped in shock as she watched Drew fall back.

"Ow! What the hell?!" Drew shouted while sitting up as he rubbed his now sore face.

"I should be the one saying that! Who do you think you are running off without me? What kind of friend are you?" Gary seethed as he grabbed a hold of Drew's shirt.

Drew grabbed his friend's arms in an attempt to pry him off, but Gary held a firm grip. "The kind who didn't want to get you involved!" He retorted.

"Involved in what?" Gary spat, looking ready to strike his friend again.

May let out another gasp as a shadow flew over them. Both boys let go of each other as they looked up in time to see J fly over on her Salamence.

"Who is that?" Gary asked as J jumped down from the Pokemon.

"Bad news," Drew replied as he stood up, getting ready to go on the defensive.

"I've really had enough of you. Just because I have to bring you in alive, doesn't mean you have to be in one piece." She fumed.

Drew really didn't like the way that sounded.

Gary was extremely confused by the angry looking woman covered in burns and soot. "What did you do to piss HER off?" Gary questioned his two friends.

They both exchanged a look before replying "It's a long story."

Suddenly Salamence fired a flamethrower at them. Drew was quick to tackle May out of the way, and Gary took care of himself by jumping in the opposite direction. The still evolved mega Pokemon took aim at Gary once again, as he was still trying to pick himself up. He had no time to react as the attack was shot straight toward him. He closed his eyes as he waited for the attack to hit, but was surprised to find that he was unharmed. He opened his eyes to find a Charizard standing protectively in front of him, one that was very familiar. The Charizard looked over its shoulder just to make sure that the brunette boy was unharmed. Gary's eyes widened in recognition, he knew that Pokemon, and the Pokemon seemed to know just who he was as well.

He instantly started looking around for the person it belonged to, but then scolded himself. There was no way Blue was here, after all, he died. But then, why was his Charizard here? It was then that he noticed Red standing a few feet away, staring at him intently. Gary swallowed a lump in his throat as he put the pieces together. He remembered back when they first met Red and he yelled at May.

_'I didn't just lose him! I had to watch him die! He died right in front of me! And the worst part was, it was MY fault! My best friend died because of ME! Don't even think for a second that you know how I feel!'_

Gary felt like he couldn't breathe. His gaze was fixed on his squad leader as he finally made the connection. Any anger he had been feeling towards Drew was gone, and was now focused on Red. Why did Red have his brother's Charizard? He wouldn't, unless he knew his brother, and he certainly wouldn't unless he knew him well enough to take in his partner Pokemon after his death. Which meant he was most likely there when he died. The words he said kept repeating in his head, over and over.

_'It was MY fault! My best friend died because of ME!'_

It was his fault. He didn't know why, or how, but Gary knew that Red was the reason his brother had died. Suddenly Red was by his side, pulling him up into a standing position. Gary just stared at him, he didn't even know what to say or how to voice the many questions flying through his head.

"I'll explain later." Red said to him in a calm voice, obviously noticing that Gary recognized the Charizard. "For now, you guys need to get back, this is a fight that you can't win."

As he said this he pushed Gary back toward May and Drew. The three teens stared at their squad leader in shock as he stood next to the large fire type Pokemon.

"How does Red have two partner Pokemon? Is that even possible?" May asked in amazement.

Drew shook his head, clearly unsure of the answer himself. He'd heard rumors that there were people who were able to bond with more than one Pokemon, but it was never something he'd seen in real life.

"That's because it isn't HIS Pokemon." Gary said in an angry voice as he glared daggers at their squad leader. His two friends next to him shared a questioning glance before turning their attention to the battle that was about to happen.

"Well if it isn't the famous Red. I'd heard you'd made your reappearance." J finally spoke up, looking Red up and down in approval. "You certainly picked the wrong kid to take under your wing."

"And what business do you have with my squad member exactly?" Red questioned, lifting his head to stare her down.

"His majesty requests the presence of his youngest son. I'm merely here to deliver him." She said with a smirk, knowing well just how Red felt about the evil king. Surely he wouldn't want to protect the boy knowing who he was related to.

Red's eyes widened in shock as he looked behind him at Drew. It was probably the most emotion the three teens had ever seen from their squad leader. Drew cursed to himself, it wasn't exactly how he had planned on spilling the secret. He could feel just as much shock coming from Gary next to him.

It was then that Red realized how blind he had been not to see it. He knew the second prince had disappeared 11 years ago at the age of six, making Drew the right age. Not to mention his green hair, it was such a dead give away. It also explained his talents, he'd been specially trained his entire life. He had half a mind to turn around and take the kid out himself, but he paused. Obviously there was a reason Drew was here, and there was a reason his father was hunting him down. He was definitely getting to the bottom of this, but first, he had to get rid of J.

"Sorry, but that's not happening." Red informed her. J glared at him, clearly displeased with his response. So much for that plan, it looked like she had to do this the hard way.

May and Drew both visibly relaxed from his words before looking to each other with relief. Well at least their squad leader wasn't planning on killing him... yet.

"Then die!" J shouted with rage, her words telling her mega Salamence to attack. The large dragon Pokemon surged forward, ready to tackle Charizard, but the fire Pokemon was ready, and easily launched himself up and out of range of the attack.

"Whoa, he's fast!" May exclaimed in awe.

But he wasn't fast enough, the Salamence was quick to turn himself around and fly straight into the unsuspecting Charizard. Red let out an annoyed "Tch," as J smirked.

"No matter how much speed he has, he's no match for a mega Pokemon." She gloated.

Red smiled to himself. "I guess you're right." He said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring with a familiar stone. He slid it onto his finger as it started to glow. "Then it looks like I should even the playing field." They all looked up as Charizard started glowing. They hadn't even noticed the small ring on his arm holding a similar jewel.

When the glowing disappeared, Charizard had changed. Much like Salamence, Charizard was now much more sleek. He grew another horn on his head which was longer than the others, and all were sharply pointed. His fangs were longer and he had a ridge now formed on his nose. He grew wings on his arms, but his most noticeable change was the ones on his back. They were much larger and were ragged in appearance. Overall, it was obvious the Pokemon was now even stronger than before.

The newly mega evolved Pokemon let out a cry as it spread its enlarged wings and took off. He wasted no time in launching a flamethrower attack toward the opposing Salamence. Salamence shot a fire attack of his own, but its power was no match against that of the Mega Charizard. Charizard's flamethrower broke through Salamence's and hit the dragon type head on. The attack seemed to do significant damage, but the Salamence didn't seem to be ready to back down.

"How is that possible? Pokemon can only mega evolve if they have a strong bond with their trainer." Gary said to himself as he watched.

Drew glanced at him from the corner of his eye before turning his attention back to the battle. Did Gary know that Charizard?

"Salamence, use dragon claw!" J commanded.

"Use wing attack!" Red directed.

Salamence charged toward Charizard, its long glowing claw stretched toward him. Charizard's wings started glowing before he flew toward Salamence. When the two Pokemon met, Salamence's attack easily broke through Charizard's and the fire type took some serious damage, but that was just what Red wanted.

J didn't miss the smirk that crossed Red's face as soon as the two Pokemon were close. Charizard then flew around Salamence and grabbed him from behind.

"Blast burn!" Red called out. Charizard let out a roar of approval before charging up his attack. His entire body was engulfed in flamed before it all collected in his mouth and he shot the large attack straight into Salamence. The dragon Pokemon let out a cry of pain from the powerful attack as he was thrown down and slammed into the ground.

Salamence struggled to stand again after the attack, but managed to get back up, proving just how much stamina it possessed.

J looked back and forth from her Pokemon and Red's. While Charizard did look a little tired from using such a powerful attack, she was sure the Pokemon could still battle. Her eyes then drifted to the three teens, each of which had crystals on their necks containing their own Pokemon. She knew her Salamence couldn't fight them all.

The group eyed her in confusion when she finally smiled. "I know when I'm beat, as annoying as it." She stated and then turned her attention to Drew. "You win this round, but know this. They won't stop coming for you. Now that they know where you are, you'll be hunted down and captured eventually, if not by me, than by someone else. It's only a matter of time."

With that said, she was quick to jump onto her Pokemon's back, which then took off with intense speed. They could only watch as she quickly disappeared into the distance. May fell to the ground with relief, she hadn't realized just how terrified she was until J left, but that woman was seriously scary. Though there was someone even scarier standing right by her.

Red turned to Drew with a look of anger. The green haired teen flinched as soon as his eyes landed on him.

"Is there something you'd like to explain?" Red asked, clearly upset about Drew's secrets.

"I'd like to ask you the same thing." Gary said, drawing everyone's attention to him. "What the hell are you doing with my dead brother's Pokemon?" His eyes were filled with rage. The Charizard had returned to his usual form and was looking over at the brunette with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"I was going to tell you..." Red started, not really knowing what to say.

"Tell me what exactly? That you killed my brother and stole his Pokemon?" Gary accused.

Red narrowed his eyes, he had no right to accuse him of something like that. "I didn't steal anything. Your brother asked me to take care of him when he died."

"So you don't deny that you killed him then?"

Red's eyes widened ever so slightly before he looked away, too ashamed to meet Gary's eyes. It was the only response Gary needed to really lose it. In a split second he was in front of Red, gripping him by the collar of his shirt glaring daggers at the older man.

"You killed my brother and then had the nerve to keep it from me? All this time you've been acting like nothing was wrong, all the while, you're the reason MY BROTHER is dead!" He pulled his arm back, ready to strike, while Red stood in place, ready to take the hit.

"That's enough!" Drew yelled out as he grabbed Gary's arm and pulled him away. "You need to calm down."

Now his rage was averted to Drew. "Like I want to hear that from you! You traitor! You're just as bad as he is!" Gary was full of furry at this point, he was so angry, he seemed to have lost all control. "No you're worse! Do you even realize that your father is the reason we're all here? He's ruined all of our lives. He's the reason my whole family is dead! In fact, you're worse than Red. You pretended to be my friend for years, all the while keeping something like that from me! You're a monster!"

His words set Drew off. His thoughts flew back to the same words his father had said to him. Before he could even process what he was doing, his fist flew forward and slammed into Gary's face.

"You think I don't know that?! Who the hell are you to say that to me?!" He seethed as his friend pulled his hand away from his face to reveal a bloodied nose.

Gary let out a battle cry before charging forward and tackling his friend to the ground, starting an all out fist fight. The two fought it out on the ground, while May was yelling at them to stop. She looked desperately to Red for help, but the man seemed to be lost in his thoughts, just like how he was the day they met him on the mountain.

"I thought we were friends!" Gary yelled as he grabbed Drew's shirt to pull him close before bringing his fist to his face.

Drew spat blood onto the ground before turning to glare at him. "We are friends you asshole!" Drew shouted back.

"No! Friend's don't keep secrets from friends!" Gary seethed as he once again moved to punch his friend. Tired of the punching game, Drew grabbed his friend's hand and twisted it around before pushing him onto the ground and sitting on his back, all the while never releasing his arm.

"You mean like how you never bothered to tell me that your brother died?" Drew retorted, turning the situation in his friend.

Gary glared over his shoulder. "That's different and you know it! It was none of your business."

"Then my family affairs are none of your business!" Drew replied, his anger was finally starting to dissipate as he released his friend and stood up.

Both teens were panting as Gary stood up and stared him down. "You know what? I'm done. This friendship is done. I'm done with all of this." With that said, Gary turned and started walking away.

"Gary!" May called out to him, ready to chase after him, but was stopped by Drew.

"Let him go," He said in a bitter voice as he raised a hand up to his bleeding lip to check the damage.

May looked over to Red as he watched Gary walk away with a sad expression. He looked over to Charizard with a nod and the Pokemon took to the sky to follow after the teen. Things were certainly falling apart.

* * *

><p><strong>Well there you have it, they reunited and it all went to heck! :P So May's reaction to Drew was really really hard for me. I rewrote it at least three times. Initially I went with her being angry (kinda like Gary), but then I felt that it would be too hypocritical of her to do that, since she happens to hate her own father (for reasons you'll find out eventually). So then I tried her just being really sad, and well I didn't like that one either. I felt that she needed to be a little angry, but at the same time, she would also be sad and disappointed too. So I settling with both emotions. I still didn't really like how it turned out, but eh, it is what it is. Though I must say, I loved Gary's reaction. So much anger, I felt bad for him, he feels really betrayed, everyone's been keeping things from him. I'd like to thank everyone who reads this story, I wouldn't have come this far without you!<strong>

**Guest: Sorry for killing one of your favorites, but Caitlin fit that role perfectly, which meant her early demise. Thanks for your reviews! :)**

**TVprogramsfan: Yes, definitely hard using no OCs, but still fun at the same time. Thanks for your awesome feedback!**

**Tsuki Sakura Hitsugaya: Wow, such emotion! Thank you so much!**

**Scriptress: Haha thanks for the encouragement. I've noticed I've had a lot of comments about Solidad. I had no idea she was such a popular character! I'm glad you're liking it, I hope this chapter was just as good as the last! :D**

**guess who: N's full name is Natural, like in the games. I'm just telling you this because it probably won't come up in the story. We'll just say that his father gave him that name, considering I doubt it was Caitlin's idea. XD Hope May's reaction was also something you can picture, but I liked your ideas too. You'll have to wait and see about N, and yes to the more of Solidad... eventually. Thanks for the review!**

**VagantemAnima: AW! Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked the chapter, it was probably one of my favorites as well, though this chapter has to be a close second. Thanks for leaving your thoughts!**

**Forevershine: Haha now I feel bad about the semi cliffhanger I left at the end of this chapter. Yes, the king is awful, I'm glad you hate him as much as I do, because he totally sucks as a dad and as a ruler. Yes there will be more Solidad for all of you Solidad lovers out there. I might put her in sooner than I planned with all this love she's getting.**

**Second Guest: AHAHAHA! Okay, the suffering I gave Drew last chapter I had planned out a long time ago. It had nothing to do with the pain I said I'd give a few chapters back. That pain was me forming evil thoughts against future Drew. Hope May's reaction was okay, and thanks for the reviews! Your shouting is no problem to me! :D**

** : Thanks, I also love N's character in this story. Yes, Roselia is Drew's main Pokemon in the show, but for the purpose of this story, I didn't feel that Roselia really fit. I had a lot of the story planned out before I started picking who would have which Pokemon, and I found that Flygon just worked better for the story than Roselia did, but I do feel that Drew is missing something without his infamous rose thing. The only nod to that I've done so far was his love for his mother's rose garden, but maybe I'll find a way to put it in more. I do wish I could've put in Roselia though. Thanks for the question! You got me thinking!**

**kaktus0-0: No worries, now that the cat's outta the bag, he has no secrets to be angsty about. Though if you noticed, there are some little feelings for May popping up that he'll likely be keeping to himself, but not much angst with that. As for Ash, he's not actually dead... at the moment. He's with Leaf and she's keeping him alive :P Thanks for the review!**


	21. Chapter 21

"So we're just going to let him run off on his own?" May questioned, giving the two boys next to her a hard glare. Drew just glared at the ground while rubbing his jaw, ignoring her question.

Red opened his mouth to reply, but then quickly closed it as a sad expression crossed his face.

"There's no point in trying to talk to him when he's like that. He's way too stubborn. If he wants to run off like an idiot, I say let him." Drew huffed, finally speaking up.

May turned her glare to him. "You're being just as bad as he is! You didn't have to hit him!" She fumed.

He copied her expression as he turned to look at her. He knew she was right, but didn't really want to admit it, so he let out a grunt before looking away in anger.

May let out a sigh as she massaged her temples, she had a real headache coming on. Actually, it had been there since she'd been whacked on the head by that crazy bounty hunter. It was then that she remembered something and let out a gasp. "Ash!" She suddenly blurted out. "Oh no! She stabbed him. Right before I blacked out, she stabbed him and he fell to the ground!" She said in dismay as she grabbed a hold of Drew's shoulders. The green haired teen's eyes widened from her outburst. Ash was stabbed and left for dead and she was just bringing it up NOW?

"Your friend is fine," Red finally spoke up. "He's with Leaf. We should probably head over there."

The two looked over to him and May let out a sigh of relief while Drew visibly relaxed. Deciding that Gary would find his way back, the three started back toward where Leaf was waiting.

"You know, you two have a lot of explaining to do." Red said as they walked. The two teens stiffed and glanced nervously at each other. They were hoping this conversation wouldn't come up. "Especially you," He added giving a pointed look to Drew.

May didn't really sympathize with that one, considering she was still a little upset about it herself.

"Yeah, yeah. I know." The green head replied with a huff of annoyance.

It didn't take them long before Leaf came into view. She was sitting over Ash, wiping his face with a wet cloth. She paused when she heard them walking up, and reached for her sword, but stopped when she saw who it was. Her eyes instantly fell on May and the bandanna wearing girl froze on the spot. It had seemed like so long since she'd seen her best friend. What was she going to say? She had to be beyond furious that she'd left without her. Would she hit her like Gary had done to Drew? Would she stop talking to her?

She was so lost in her fears that she didn't notice Leaf had stood up. Suddenly the long haired brunette was running over to them, passed Red and Drew before finally making it to her friend.

"Leaf.. I..." May didn't know what to say as her friend came to a stop in front of her. Her expression was unreadable and she didn't say anything as she stared her down.

As soon as she moved May flinched, but instead of hitting her, suddenly she threw her arms around May as her face crumbled. "Thank goodness!" She said as tears started falling down her face. "I was so worried!"

May's eyes widened as Leaf cried over her shoulder. "You mean... You're not mad?" May questioned, afraid to hear her response.

"Of course I am! But, I was more scared. I was so scared something would happen, and I'd never see you again. I thought I'd lose the only family I have left!" Her words hit May hard. She had been so inconsiderate. She knew just how much she meant to Leaf, and leaving her was the same as abandoning her all alone. She knew that Leaf had no family, and to her, May was the closest thing to family she had. "Don't ever leave me again!" She pleaded between sobs.

May felt her own eyes water as she returned the hug. "I won't! I'm sorry!"

"I missed you," Leaf stated.

"I missed you too," May said over her shoulder.

Red and Drew watched the exchange in silence. Drew eyed them and frowned from Leaf's words. While he knew he'd never cry or admit it, he was sure Gary felt the same. He had run off with May without even thinking about how his best friend would feel. He probably felt just as betrayed as when his brother left him. He cursed to himself as he realized just how crappy of a friend he was. With a look of determination he turned and started running back in the direction Gary had disappeared.

"Where are you going?" Red called after him.

"I have to talk to him!" He yelled over his shoulder.

May and Leaf turned their heads to watch him run off. "What did I miss?" Leaf asked as she finally pulled away from May.

"It's a long story..." May laughed awkwardly.

* * *

><p>Gary finally stopped walking when he came to a small river. The only sound he could hear was the running water, and it helped him to relax, at least until he heard the flapping of wings. He looked up to find Charizard had followed him, and the Pokemon landed rather loudly next to him.<p>

The Pokemon's mere existence hurt him. He remembered the fire type as a Charmeleon when he was younger, but obviously the Pokemon had evolved in his time away. He got along with his brother's Pokemon rather well, in fact, before Blue left, Charmeleon was often found sleeping in Gary's room when the boy was afraid at night. Now, he couldn't stand the fact that his brother's Pokemon now had a close bond with the one that killed him.

"How can you stand even being around him?" He lashed out at the fire type. "He killed your trainer! Does that mean nothing to you?"

The Charizard looked down at him with a sorrowful expression. "I get that Pokemon are sensitive when their trainers die, but were you so desperate for attention that you'd settle for that traitor?" The Pokemon once again failed to respond, so Gary turned away with a huff. Of course, it wasn't like the Pokemon could respond even if he wanted to.

Drew was completely out of breath by the time he finally found Gary. The brunette boy was by a small river, angrily throwing rocks into the crystal blue water. Charizard was standing off to the side. Gary was clearly ignoring the Pokemon, but the fire type stayed by his side regardless. He stopped mid throw when he heard someone behind him. He only turned to see who it was before looking back and continuing what he was doing.

"The hell do you want?" Gary asked with venom in his voice. "I don't really feel like talking to you."

"Then shut up and listen." Drew replied, still feeling out of breath from running.

Gary turned around to glare at him, but didn't say anything.

"I suck. No, I beyond suck. I'm probably the worst friend in the history of friends." Drew started. "I kept a secret from you. I pretty much kept my whole life from you, while you were always honest. You told me everything, and trusted me, and I broke that trust."

Gary's glare hardened. "Yes, you did. I can never trust you again."

"I said shut up." Drew asserted, causing Gary to scoff and roll his eyes. "I deserve that. You should probably hate me forever, but know this." He made it a point to stare directly into Gary's eyes. "Despite secrets I kept, you are still my best friend. More than that, you're like a brother. You are the person that I trust to have my back, and there's nothing in this world I wouldn't do for you."

Gary tried his best to keep his glare, but he could feel himself start to frown. Why was he bringing that up? It didn't change anything. Yet he could feel his anger dissipating. As pissed as he was at Drew, he felt the same. He had always resented his brother for abandoning him, but then he found Drew. They were inseparable, and he became his family. When he felt lost and alone, he knew that he always had a family with Drew. Someone who knew what it was like to feel alone.

"My family was gone, and I was alone. That wasn't a lie." He continued, as if reading Gary's mind. "To me, you were my family, and that will never change." He added. "So no matter how much you hate me, I'm going to be here. Even if you ignore me, and never talk to me again, you're my family."

Gary's hands clenched at his sides. He was making it really hard to stay mad. Yet despite everything that had happened, he still wanted to believe in his friend.

"It's the same for me you know," He finally spoke up. Drew's eyes widened in surprise. "Despite everything, you'll always be my brother. No matter how much I hate your guts."

He didn't miss the look of pure relief that crossed Drew's face as he smiled a soft smile. One that showed just how worried he was that his friend would never talk to him again. One that showed how relieved he was to still have his brother.

"But you're still and asshole." He muttered as he rubbed his bruised jaw where Drew had punched him.

"Yeah, I know." Drew said with a small laugh as he brushed his hand over the scab forming on his lip.

"And you have a lot of explaining to do." Gary said as he walked passed Drew and started back to where the others were.

Drew smiled to himself as he followed behind with his hands in his pockets. "So I've heard."

When they finally got back, they were practically attacked by the two girls. They had both thrown their arms around the boys, pulling them into a group hug between the four friends. Charizard instantly flew to Red's side, and the squad leader returned him to his crystal with a sigh as he watched the four teens with a small smile.

"It's about time you guys came back!" May exclaimed with her cheek pressed up against Drew's, making said boy extremely uncomfortable.

"You guys made up right?" Leaf asked with her own face pressed against Gary's.

"I don't know if I'd call it that." Gary muttered, refusing to look at his best friend who was squished next to him.

"Good, then we're back together again." May said with a big smile, ignoring his negative comment. "I missed you guys."

"Yeah, let's promise to never separate again. Okay?" Leaf said, making it a point to look at each of them.

Gary looked at her expectant face and then quickly looked away. "It's not like I was the one that ran off." He muttered.

Her gaze then turned to May who nodded her head in agreement. "I promise!" She stated with a smile.

They all turned their gazes to Drew who looked at each of them before rolling his eyes. "Ah," He agreed.

The girls smiled while the boys attempted to get out of their iron tight hold. When they finally separated, Gary looked over to find Red watching over Ash.

"How is he?" He inquired, nodding his head in Ash's direction.

"He's okay. Fortunately she didn't hit anything vital. He just lost a good amount of blood, but with some rest and fluids, I think he'll be okay. I sent Peeko back to his base to get some help down here to bring him back." Leaf answered.

"I love it when you talk medical." Gary said as he nudged her with his elbow while wiggling his eyebrow suggestively.

Leaf instantly narrowed her eyes before slugging him in the arm. "Cut it out!" She scolded while hiding a blush.

"So since we'll be waiting for a while, which one of you would like to start explaining?" Red asked in a stern voice as he walked over to join their group.

May and Drew shared a look before Drew let out a sigh. It was about time he properly explained himself. They all had a right to know. So he told them his story, starting from the very beginning.

By the time he got to the part where he escaped with Solidad, May and Leaf were giving him heartbroken expressions. "What's with that look?" He asked in an annoyed voice.

"It's just so sad! I had no idea that was the kind of background you came from! No wonder you're the way you are!" Leaf exclaimed.

Drew narrowed his eyes, his annoyance rising. May instantly nudged her friend. "What she meant was, she's sorry." She corrected, covering for her friend's rude remark.

"I don't need anyone feeling sorry for me." He asserted.

"So why did you join the Defiance?" Red asked, moving the conversation back on topic.

"After Solidad and I got to Hoenn, we moved to LaRousse City where I started a special training program. She said getting training from the Defiance would be good for me. By the time I was old enough to apply for a Defiance training school, I was already leagues ahead of the other applicants, getting accepted into the top academy was a piece of cake." He said with a shrug like it was no big deal. "While I went off to school, Solidad joined up with the Defiance. But I never had any intentions of actually joining. My plan was to graduate the academy and then find Solidad. From there I'd go back to Unova."

This news made May frown. "So the reason you came with me?" She inquired.

Drew turned to look at her with a frown of his own. "I did some digging back at the base in Johto. I found the list of all the Defiance members that were sent to Hoenn after the attack. Solidad's name was on the list."

While May knew she wasn't the real reason Drew came with her to Hoenn, it kind of hurt to hear him actually say it out loud.

Upon seeing her face fall, Drew patted her on the head. She looked up at him to find a smirk on his face. "Don't be too disappointed. That wasn't the only reason I went with you, you know..."

His words made her blush before she swatted away his hand. "I wasn't disappointed!" She denied.

"Wait... You stole classified Defiance information?" Red asked with an angry expression.

Drew just scoffed at the man. "It's not like it was hard. Honestly, you people made it so easy, I was almost embarrassed FOR you."

"You're just digging yourself deeper," May scolded.

Drew shrugged. "Like I said. I have no intentions of being a part of the Defiance."

"So you're going to leave then?" May asked with a hint of sadness.

Drew gave her a pointed look. "No. I promised I'd help you find your brother." He assured her.

May let out a sigh from his words. She wasn't sure what she'd do if he really did up and leave.

"About your brother..." Red spoke up once again. "He's the reason you guys ran out here right?"

May nodded her head with a look of determination. "I couldn't stand not knowing. I have to find my brother." She stated. "He's my most important person, it's my job to look out for him, and I'm not leaving until I find him."

"I want to help!" Leaf exclaimed. "I know that if I had family that was out here, I'd want to find them too."

"I'm in too." Gary stated after hearing Leaf.

Red let out a sigh as he removed his hat and ran a hand through his raven colored hair. He looked at each of his squad members all giving him looks of determination.

"Fine. We'll find May's brother." He finally gave in.

The two girls let out cheers as the boys smiled in triumph.

"But know this. You may not like what you find." He warned.

May frowned from his words. "I know." She assured him. She knew there was a chance her brother was dead. In fact, that was a very high chance. Yet, she couldn't give up. Even if it turned out that her brother was dead, she still had to know.

With that decision made, the group went back to looking after Ash while they waited for Peeko to return with help.

* * *

><p>"Your Majesty," The King was interrupted from his game of chess as one of his grunts addressed him with a bow.<p>

"This had better be good. You've wrecked my concentration." He complained, eyeing the grunt's trembling form.

The man looked up to his King with a hint of fear in his eyes, a look that the King did not miss. That certainly meant news that would not make him happy.

"We've received word back from Hunter J, my liege." He started. Ghetsis narrowed his eyes, he knew where this was going. "It would seem as though she failed to capture her target."

Ghetsis let out an enraged growl as he stood up from his chair. "Are you all THAT incompetent? How hard can it possibly be to catch a mere teenage boy?" He questioned in furry.

The grunt flinched, keeping his head bowed in fear of his king's rage. "It would seem that he has taken allegiance with the Defiance, and is on a team with an elite."

The King froze from his words. He's joined the Defiance? That must be a joke... But then, he wouldn't put it passed Solidad to come up with a plan like that. Use the Defiance to their advantage.

"Was there any sign of Solidad?" The King wondered.

The grunt shook his head. "No, my Lord. She was not with him."

Now that was certainly interesting. It was very unlike her to leave him on his own... that is unless she thought he was more than capable of taking care of himself. Part of him wondered just how far his youngest son had come.

"Hunter J said that she will regroup and-" The grunt started, but was cut off.

"No." The King asserted. "She's already failed me. Tell her to pull back. I'll send someone who is more up to the task."

"If I may..." The two finally turned to look at the other man in the room, the one the King had been playing chess with. Ghetsis was so caught up in his rage, he'd nearly forgotten he was there.

The young man had long mint green hair, that matched that of the King, which was pulled back in a ponytail. He was wearing a white and black hat that shaded his face while his chin rested lazily on his hand. He reached out to make his final move on the game he was playing with his father, knocking over his father's piece, and winning the game.

"I'd be more than happy to give it a try. He is after all, my little brother." He said as he finally looked up with a smirk.

* * *

><p><strong>So I was listening to 'Hey Brother' by Avicii and it totally got me thinking about how well it fits with their little group. They'd all do just about anything for each other, even if they aren't blood related, they think of each other as family, and so I was rocking out to that song while it inspired me to write this chapter! I'm glad they're all finally back together, and worked out most of their issues. Also, sorry this was a few days late, I know I usually post on Thursdays, but I was sick all last week and really wasn't up for writing until yesterday. So I had a cloudy head while writing this whole thing so it's probably full of mistakes, and for that, I apologize!<strong>

**QUEENSPELLER67: Yes, Gary blew his top! But he's working on ****getting over it. Too much anger is bad for you anyways. Thanks for the review!**

**Guess Who: Yeah, I feel really bad making them all suffer... but then I remind myself that it makes for a good story. XD **

**Forevershine: Because for some reason we think it makes the story feel more intense? Kidding, I don't really know. I usually just cut off the chapter when I feel like it's long enough, and it always seems to leave it with a cliffie. Sorry for that! :P**

**Lolaxp: Okay so I just noticed that every time I put your name it gets cut out, so I made sure it showed up this time! Thanks so much! I'm glad you liked her reaction, I was really worried about that! But yes, May really doesn't like her parents. I think it might have been brought up in the very first chapter that her parents were the reason she joined the Defiance, but that was some foreshadowing I did so long ago! XD It will all be explained in the future, because Drew isn't the only one with things unsaid. **

**Siamofelici: What? You want MORE back story? Hmmmm... I'll have to see what I can think up to do something about that ;)**

**Guest: Don't worry I have every intention of finishing this story. I know I started it over a year ago, but back then I wasn't really that dedicated to it, and I wasn't really sure where it was going to go. But then I realized people actually liked it, and now I'm totally into this story myself. Also, as opposed to only updating every one or two months when it first started, I've been pretty good about updating weekly. So I hope you'll bear with me and keep following along with the story. Not sure about a date or the amount of chapters... from what I have outlined and planned out, I'd say we're about halfway through, so maybe around 40 or 50 chapters all together? Here's hoping it doesn't take me another year to do them XD**

**Shouting Guest: I totally laughed at that name. No way would I disapprove of your capital letters! I think it makes your reviews stand out and I totally read it as shouting in my head! Thanks for your thoughts, I'm glad you're liking it! Also, I so agree! I just want one episode where they bring back May and Drew and say they've been traveling together or something. I still remember how much I freaked when May showed up during the Wallace Cup in DP. Even if Drew was only there for half a second, I did a girly shriek at the sight of him and Solidad. Happy summer to you too! AND THANK YOU FOR BEING MY 100TH REVIEW! YOU ROCK!**

**Scriptress: Thanks! I'm glad you liked her reaction! I was hoping you'd approve. I like that about Drew too, like he can be cocky and act all smug, but he knows when he's out matched, and can admit when he needs to get the heck out of there to avoid getting the stuffing beat out of him. Thank you very much for that review. I really liked the whole reviewing while you read. It really gives me a view of just how you were feeling at each part, and I love that! I love hearing people's thoughts on different scenes that really stuck out to them, that way I know what I'm doing right.**


	22. Chapter 22

King Ghetsis stared hard at his oldest son, and motioned for the grunt to leave the room. "And why would I allow that? You're the reason he left in the first place."

N stood up from his place at the table and picked up one of the chess pieces. "You can't really blame me for something that happened over ten years ago." He said as he tossed around the chess piece in his hand.

"Your feelings for your brother clouded your judgement then, what should make me believe that it would not now as well?" The King inquired, watching his son with a close eye.

The smirk on his face finally fell as he looked at his father with a serious expression. "Because I'm well aware of the reason he must return."

Ghetsis stared at his son, trying to find a hint of a lie. Finally, he let out a sigh as if his mind was made up. "Very well. If you think you'll be able to handle it. I'll leave it to you."

N's smirk returned as he turned to leave the room.

"N," His father called, stopping him in his tracks. "I don't need to remind you what will happen if you over exert yourself." He warned.

N's face once again fell as he turned and tossed the chess piece in his hand to his father, who caught it with ease, never taking their eyes from each other.

"Of course not Father. I'm more than aware." He stated before turning back around and leaving the room. He paused one more time to add one final thing. "Oh, and do me a favor, and refrain from touching my pet while I'm away."

Ghetsis didn't miss the animosity in his son's voice. "As long as she remembers her place, I'm sure she'll remain unharmed." He assured him.

N narrowed his eyes ever so slightly before finally making his way out. "I'll make sure of that." He muttered as he headed off to prepare for his journey.

* * *

><p>May sat in silence next to Ash, as she stroked his hair affectionately, Pikachu sitting right next to her. He had tried to save them, and it nearly cost him his life. For that, she could never repay him. She was just relieved to see him alive. She wasn't sure just what she would have done if he'd died because of them. She reached her hand down to rest it on her bow next to her. She was happy to have it back, she felt naked without her weapon. She wouldn't allow herself to be in that kind of situation again. She was going to protect those close to her.<p>

Drew was seated in the tree right above them, he was supposed to be on lookout for any sign of Peeko, but he found himself continuously looking down at the brunette girl below him, just to make sure she was doing okay. He couldn't stop himself from being fixated on her hand that was stroking Ash's hair. He had a girlfriend, so why was May so close to him? She didn't have a crush on him... did she? No... that couldn't be it... could it?

Red was off somewhere, doing a check of their surroundings, while Leaf gathered some things from the forest and started making a soup to eat. It had been a while since any of them had really eaten. When she was done putting it together, she looked up and around to find Gary had seated himself a good distance from the others. With a frown she left her soup to cook, and made her way over to him.

"Whatcha doing over here?" She questioned as she plopped herself down next to him.

He cast a side glance her way, but other than that, didn't acknowledge her. This caused her frown to deepen. That was definitely a first. She was expecting some kind of perverted joke, but he barely even looked at her. Something was obviously troubling his thoughts.

"Is it about Drew?" She guessed. His shoulders tensed, and she figured she was on the right track. "I thought you guys worked it out?"

Gary let out a sigh as he rested his head in his hands. "Things feel different now. I can't just go sit over there with them like nothing ever happened. I mean, they left us behind, doesn't that bother you?"

Leaf looked up and placed a finger on her chin thoughtfully. "Well, I guess I can't say that it doesn't bother me, but it's not something I let haunt my thoughts. May and Drew had their reasons, they just didn't want to get us involved. In a way, I think that made them good friends. They didn't want to mix us up with their problems."

"Well I don't agree. I think it was pretty messed up of them, but that's not all that bothers me." He said as he finally turned to look at her. Once again, she had a pretty good idea she knew what he was talking about. "Drew lied to me... And now, I don't know how to be his friend anymore. I just found out he's a prince and his father is a crazy murderer, and now, I don't know how to act around him."

Leaf pulled her knees up to her chest as she looked over at Drew. She almost laughed to herself as she noticed how his eyes kept wandering below him. She wondered if he'd finally accepted his feelings. To her, despite what he had told them, he was still the same Drew.

"Do you remember back at the academy, when you posted those embarrassing pictures of Professor Brock all over the school?"

Gary let out a small chuckle at the memory. "Oh yeah! He got so mad, I thought smoke was going to start pouring out of his ears!" He laughed.

Leaf laughed along with him. "Yeah, but you were scared because you had already been in trouble too many times that year, you thought you'd get kicked out." Gary stopped laughing from her words, he knew where this was going. "So Drew covered for you. He took the blame so that you wouldn't get in trouble. Remember?"

"Yeah, I remember." He said with a frown.

"How about that time Freshman year, you stole that upperclassman's girlfriend? He was so pissed, he called you out and beat you to a pulp. Then, the next day, Drew heard about it, and beat him up, way worse than what he did to you. After that, he got detention for months, but it really didn't seem like he cared, because that guy never messed with with you again."

Gary remembered that very clearly. That guy was a lot bigger than him, and he had even given Drew a few bruises, but the green haired boy didn't seem to care, as long as he had gotten pay back for his friend.

"Then there was that time that you thought it would be a good idea to slap that Tauros, just to see if you could out run it." Gary smiled at the memory. It really was a stupid idea. "It was Drew who knocked you out of the way, spraining his ankle in the process. He was so mad that he had to sit out of combat class for two weeks. But he did it without a second thought, because he was worried about you."

Gary bit his lip and looked over at his friend sitting in the tree. Drew had always been looking out for him, no matter what stupid thing he did, he could always rely on Drew to get him out of it. He was such a thoughtless friend, he'd do anything for Gary, no matter what happened to him, that's just the kind of person Drew was. He always put others before himself.

"No matter what you may have learned about him now, like where he's from, or who his father is... He's still the same Drew as the one we went to school with. Nothing about him has changed." She said as she looked over at him with a smile. "He's still your best friend."

Gary's eyes were wide as her words sank in. She was right. Their entire friendship, Drew had always been there for him, and now when he had the chance to show just how strong their friendship was, he basically spat in his face. Drew deserved better than that. Despite the secrets he kept, Drew really was the better friend.

Gary let out a sigh. "You're right..."

Leaf let out a snort as she scoffed at him. "Of course I'm right, I'm always right." With that said, she stood up, ready to head back to the lunch she was cooking.

"Hey Leaf." He called to her. She turned to look at him, and a deep blush hit her cheeks as soon as she saw his face. "Thanks." He said with such a true smile, it seemed like it came from his very soul. It was a smile of such happiness, it reminded her of the few times she had seen it in their childhood. He looked so handsome in that moment, she nearly forgot to breathe.

"You're welcome!" She shouted out before running back to her soup. His expression really surprised her.

By the time the group finished with their lunch, May spotted a familiar form in the distance.

"Peeko!" She called out as soon as the bird Pokemon came into view. The small Wingull instantly flew into her arms with a happy cry.

"Leaf!" A familiar voice cried out. Soon after, a group of familiar faces came into view. Misty was in front, rushing toward them, with Dawn, Paul, Calem, Serena, and a few other faces they didn't recognize, right behind her.

"Where's Ash? Is he okay?" Misty demanded as soon as she was right in front of Leaf.

"Yeah, he's a little out of it, but he's going to be okay." Leaf assured her as she pointed to the unconscious raven head.

Misty was by his side in an instant. Her usual hard expression softened at she tenderly cupped her hand on his cheek. Her eyes started to water as she looked him over, so happy to see that he was still alive. "Thank goodness." She breathed a sigh of relief.

The others watched her in silence.

"It almost makes you envious, huh?" Leaf said quietly next to May. The bandanna wearing girl looked over to her friend with a questioning gaze. "To have a love like that, must be very magical." She clarified.

May looked back over to Misty and Ash. From her actions and the look on her face, it was plainly obvious how much she loved him, and May knew Ash cared for her just as much. Her heart twisted at the sight. She wasn't jealous per say. No, she was happy for them. Yet, there was a part of her that wondered when she'd get to be happy too.

"You guys take care of him, alright?" Gary stated as he turned to the other group.

"We will, thank you," Serena replied with a small smile. "You guys take care, wherever it is you're going."

They nodded in agreement. Finally the group crafted a make shift stretcher and took Ash away, back to their base, leaving Red's squad behind.

"So where to?" Leaf inquired after Ash and the others disappeared.

They all looked to Drew and he rolled his eyes. It reminded him of back when they first started on their little journey, and they were always looking to him for direction. He pulled out the map that Lara had given them.

"This is the location of the resistance base closest to Max's school." He said as he pointed to the red circle by Fortree City. "We figured if anyone would know anything, it would be here."

Red looked over Drew's shoulder at the map with an impressed expression. "Where'd you get that?" He asked.

Drew folded up his map and smirked at him. "We have our connections." He replied in a cool tone.

May rolled her eyes at his cocky attitude. "You mean Ash had connections." She stated causing his smirk to fall.

"Same thing," He muttered.

"Wow, you guys really knew what you were doing. I'm actually impressed," Red said with a very small hint of a smile.

The two marveled at the compliment. It wasn't often Red praised anyone.

"Maybe we should check around the school first?" Leaf added in.

The others looked thoughtful of her suggestion before Red spoke up. "That might not be a bad idea. It wouldn't hurt to look around, just in case we might find something there."

May and Drew looked to each other before shrugging. It seemed like a good idea.

* * *

><p>It took about a day and a half for the group to make it to Fortree City. With their endurance training, and constant traveling, they group had gotten better at walking for longer periods of time without breaks. They had certainly come a long way since the beginning of their journey.<p>

Finally the group had reached their destination, and came to a stop right outside of the school. At least that's what they thought it was. Most of it was burned to the ground, and it was hard to really make out where the school started. The sight of it made May's heart sink. Maybe going there really wasn't the best of ideas.

May held her breath as she looked over the remains of the school. Most of the buildings were burned to the ground, but a few ragged looking ones were still standing. What stood out the most were a few large piles of, what looked to be, charcoal covered bodies. May nearly gagged at the sight. Someone had taken the time to round up the corpses and set them on fire, and there was a good chance her brother was in one of those piles. She felt like she was going to pass out, the fact that her brother was likely dead was much more real to her now. She felt her knees give out, but before she fell, she felt strong arms holding her up from behind. She looked back at the figure behind her.

"He could still be alive you know." Drew stated softly as his eyes were glued to the closest pile.

She didn't reply as she grabbed onto his hand. He didn't seem to mind the strong grip she had on him, like he was the only thing holding her up, which he was.

"These aren't students." Red spoke up as he eyed one of the piles. He was leaning down, and when he stood up he was holding out a black cap that belonged to an Oppression grunt. "It looks like whoever did this, just burned Oppression bodies here." The news caused May to relax and loosen her hold on Drew, but despite lessening the grip, she refused to let go.

"Then where are the students?" Leaf inquired with a thoughtful expression. Surely there were students that died. After all, at least half of the freshmen in their school were cut down on the spot, their bodies littered the ground, not to mention the others who were killed.

"Over here!" They heard Gary's voice call from over a small hill. They made there way over to him, May never letting go of Drew's hand. She let out a gasp as soon as she made it to the top of the hill.

There were rows and rows of graves, each one with a small marker containing a name. There had to be at least a couple hundred graves there. Leaf let out a gasp of her own as soon as the make shift graveyard came into view. Her hand rose to cover her mouth, completely shocked by what she saw. There were so many.

May released Drew's hand as she slowly started forward. When she reached the first grave she leaned down to look at the small cross that was staked into the ground. The only writing on it was a name. She ran her hands across the letters as a tear rolled down her face.

'Burgundy Sauvignon'

May let her hand fall from the name as the tears continued down her face. She wondered how this girl had died. Was it quick? Did she suffer? How old was she? Did she have a family? Did they know that she was buried at her school with hundreds of her classmates? Would they ever come find their little girl's burial spot? Or maybe, her family was dead now too? Perhaps she had no one to go looking for her?

Without a word, Drew walked passed her and started looking through the graves. He'd read the name, and then move on, clearly looking for one name in particular. Gary, Leaf, and Red all followed suit, glancing at the name, and then moving on. With one final glance at the grave in front of her, May followed after them. By the time the sun started setting, they had finally finished going through the graves. There wasn't a single one with the name Max, there were however, a few rows in the back containing crosses that had no name. They must have been unable to identify them, but their school ties were wrapped delicately around their cross, the color giving away their year. Most of the ties were yellow, meaning they belonged to freshmen. One of which, could've belonged to Max. She stared long and hard at the nameless grave in front of her. She could've been standing on her brother's grave for all she knew.

Suddenly, she felt a soft hand on her shoulder. She looked over to find Leaf next to her, giving her a sympathetic look. "Let's go set up camp. We'll go find the nearby base tomorrow, and get some answers there. Okay?"

May nodded in agreement, and with one last look at the graves, they started back into the cover of the forest. After setting up camp, the group all sat around in silence.

"You know.." Leaf spoke up, breaking the silence. "Despite all we've been through, I think we're really lucky." The others turned to look at her as if she were crazy, what part of anything that had happened to them had been lucky? "Well I mean... we're alive..." She clarified. They all frowned as her words sank in. in that aspect, they really were lucky. They could have just as easily been in the same place as those hundreds of kids buried at that school.

"I never did really thank you." May voiced as she looked over at Drew. He quirked a brow, curious as to what she was referring to. "Ever since the attack at school, you've protected me. I probably wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you, so... thanks." She smiled a soft smile at him, that nearly made his heart skip a beat.

"It's not that big of a deal," He replied as he made an attempt to look anywhere but at her.

"Yeah, I never said thank you either. If you guys didn't come find us when we were attacked, I wouldn't be here." Leaf added in.

Gary made a face as he turned to her. "Hey, I was the one that jumped in and saved you from that attack! Where's my thank you?"

Her eyes narrowed as she turned to glare at him. "What you did was totally stupid and almost got you killed! Why the heck would I thank you for that?!"

"Because it was totally cool and heroic! Most girls would be throwing themselves at a guy after that." He said as he crossed his arms with a pout.

"Well good thing I'm not most girls." She retorted, copying his pose.

He looked over at her with a smirk. "Oh right, I forgot, you're not a real girl."

In a swift motion she reached over and smacked his head. "I'm sorry, what was that?" She questioned in an angry voice.

He was quick to put his hands up in defense as the smirk fell from his face. "I was joking!"

May let out a small laugh from their antics. Despite everything, they really hadn't changed. In fact, it was this sense of normalcy that really made her feel at ease.

"Your friends are lucky they had you." Red spoke quietly next to Drew.

The green haired teen glanced over at his squad leader for a second before returning his gaze back to his friends. He didn't reply, but Red's words made him think. The truth was, while the others thought they were lucky they had him, in reality, he was lucky to have THEM. Friends. A sense of normalcy. Things he thought he'd never know, were things that he found in his friendship with them. Even after they found out about his darkest secrets, they still accepted him just the same. For that, he felt like he was the luckiest guy in the world to have them all as friends.

The next morning, the group headed out to the area on the map. May and Leaf were walking a little ways ahead of the boys, lost in their own conversation. Drew's eyes were focused on one girl in particular, and he wasn't even aware of his staring until Gary pointed it out.

"So, how long?" He questioned the green haired boy.

Drew snapped out of his daze and turned to look at the brunette with a confused expression.

"Huh?" He responded.

Gary rolled his eyes. "How long have you known you like her? I mean, no guy stares at a girl that hard unless he's got some feelings. I would know."

Drew nearly choked on his spit from his friend's very forward question. "I don't-" He stared to deny it, but knew there really wasn't much point. Gary knew him well enough to figure it out. "Shut up." He muttered, his face full of embarrassment.

"So when are you going to tell her?" Gary questioned with an amused smirk.

Drew glanced over at him as if he were the biggest idiot in the world... well, he wasn't far off. "Why would I do that? It's not exactly the time or place."

"What are you talking about? There's never a time or place. You just do it! When you like a girl, you go for it." Gary asserted.

Drew smirked to himself. "You first." He said to his friend, motioning to the long haired brunette walking with May.

Gary's smirk instantly fell. "That's different!" He exclaimed.

"How the hell is that different?" Drew asked with narrowed eyes.

Gary crossed his arms in a matter of fact manner. "Because Leaf already knows I like her. I express my feelings openly." He heard Red let out a chuckle behind him and turned to glare at the man, who then quickly looked away, pretending he wasn't listening in on their conversation.

"I don't think sexual harassment counts as expressing your feelings." Drew informed him, causing Red to let out another laugh.

"Like I want to hear anything from the old man that's into twelve year old's," Gary muttered, earning him a smack to the head.

"How many times do I have to tell you she's the same age as me!?" Red yelled in annoyance, not even realizing the fact that he didn't deny it.

"Yeah, thanks for the advice, but I think I'll handle it my own way. Besides, it's not like I have any intentions of acting on it." The two frowned at him as he went back to staring absently at the girls walking in front of them. He really wasn't going to deny it now. He liked May, as more than just a friend. She was strong, and beautiful, and kind, and he couldn't help but fall for her. But he knew that acting on those feelings was a bad idea. Solidad had told him, falling in love was only a weakness, one that could endanger both himself, and the girl he loved.

'_It really is best I don't act on it. For her sake_.' He thought to himself.

After about twenty minutes of walking, the group finally made it to the area located on the map. They looked around the area, but were confused to find no sign of life.

"Isn't it a little weird that there's no sign of anyone? Not even a look out," Leaf commented.

Red let out a hum of thought as his eyes danced across the tree line. She was right. If there were a base here, they would have at least seen some form of life, yet the area was quiet. Perhaps they'd already moved on? It wan't unlikely that a small resistance group would want to keep on the move.

Drew let out an annoyed sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. "Well this complicates things." He said as he looked over to May. Her expression had fallen at the new bump in the road.

"We can do another sweep around?" Leaf offered after noticing her friend's expression.

May shook her head. They had already searched around the surrounding area, but there was no sign of a base. It was obvious that they had been gone a while. Just then, they heard a rustling of leaves and all quickly turned in the direction of the noise, just in time to see a man walking along carrying a rather large sack on his back. They were all silent as they watched him walk, apparently he hadn't even noticed they were all there. They were about to just let him walk away without saying anything, until May noticed something familiar. On top of his head was a very familiar white beanie. She let out a gasp, one that was loud enough to catch the man's attention. He instantly dropped the bag and turned around, unsheathing his sword as he stared them down, ready to attack if needed. That was, until his eyes landed on May. The sword instantly fell from his hands as he stared at her with wide eyes.

"May?" He questioned. She was unable to answer as she stared at him with disbelief. There was no way... what were the odds of finding him here? Now? Suddenly his face lit up as he rushed toward her. The others watched in confusion as he closed the gap between them and pulled her into a big spinning hug. "I'm so glad you're okay." He said as he finally put her down.

He smiled down at her with a grin that could light up a room. "It's been a long time since I last saw you. You've really grown," He told her with approval. Her face turned red as she looked away with embarrassment.

"Y-You have too," She finally managed to stutter a reply, as she gave him a look of approval.

He was tall and thin, even more so than Drew or Gary, but that was likely because he was a few years older. He was wearing a long sleeve red and black sweater, with black pants that had yellow cuffs at the bottom. His shoes were also red and black, matching his jacket. His smile really lit up his face, an expression he always wore, making all of his handsome features really stand out.

May had to admit, he certainly grew up well since she last saw him. He was incredibly handsome. Well she'd always thought that of him, but even more so now that he was grown.

Drew cleared his throat, earning the attention of the two that were lost in their reunion.

Leaf looked at the two questioningly before making a realization. "Is this...?"

May seemed to remember the others and awkwardly turned to them. She motioned to the boy standing next to her. "Everyone, this is Brendan, he's..." She started her introduction, but paused mid sentence. She looked over to Drew and their eyes met before she bit her lip and quickly looked away, a motion that didn't go unnoticed by the hat wearing man next to her.

He gave the green haired teen a cautious look before speaking to the group. "I'm May's fiance." He stated proudly as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, his eyes focused on Drew as if gauging his reaction. May let out a small yelp as her face turned beet red from the contact.

There was an awkward silence, quickly followed by a collection of "HUH!?"

* * *

><p><strong>Hello everybody! I was just informed that today is Contestshipping day! Like I had no idea there even WAS a contestshipping day! I picked an awesome day to update then! Anyways, I hope you all have been having a good summer, and happy late 4th of July! Anyone watch some awesome fireworks? Cause I sure did! Well, I wanted to apologize for the lack of an update last week, I was on vacation! I'd also like to add that due to how my school schedule has played out this summer, I'm moving my update day to Fridays, it just makes my life easier! Hope this one was worth the wait, and I hope that little cut off at the end didn't upset too many people... :P Thanks for your patience everyone, and I'll see you next chapter!<strong>

**Twin4444: Hmmmm, I wonder if he will... ;) And thank you very much for the compliment! :D**

**QUEENSPELLER67: N likes chess, you'll find he's very good at logical thinking. :P Thank you for the review!**

**Forevershine: I think at this point, everyone is hoping N is just playing his father, but who knows, a lot can change in ten years. Thanks so much for the wishes of health! I'm doing much much better, but it certainly did take me a long time to get over it. But I agree, being sick is just awful.**

**Guess who: Everyone is so concerned with N being evil... Heck yes to the Ferriswheelshipping! Easily one of my top ships! Will N die...? Now that is a very good question. ;) There is really no Ikarishipping in this story, I'm not really a fan of Dawn, so she's not an important character in this story. Yes, Yellow will be coming back! And no worries, I like answering questions. I'm sure Hunter J will get what's coming to her... eventually. Haha I'm still only halfway done with this story and you already want a sequel? XD We'll see when we get there. Yeah, Ash'll be up and about, but not for a while. The dude got stabbed, we have no time to sit around and wait for him to get better, the story must go on without him! Thanks for the review!**

**PolarDawn: Hey thanks, glad you got back into it. Oh believe me, I won't forget. I think you'll find Drew's stuff is pretty much together at this point, Brendan showing up is just what he needs to act on it. There will be some major contestshipping going on in either the next chapter or the one after, we'll see how it plays out.**

**Guest: I'm really not sure what you mean about hating Lyra and the crossover thing? The Silver in this story is in fact the Silver from the game, hence the Soulsilvershipping... And anyway, this whole story is full of crossovers, and not to mention it's shippy because it's a romance... so yeah... As for the whole DrewxLeaf brother sister relationship, I just don't really see that. Drew doesn't really have much of an opinion of Leaf, she's a friend sure, but I don't think they would really get close enough to have that kind of relationship, especially not one close enough to make May jealous, considering May knows Leaf likes Gary. Don't worry though, there will be a point where May gets jealous, it just won't be over Leaf.**

**SHOUTING GUEST: Haha yeah, Gary was super pissed, and I think he still is, but with Leaf's help, he realized that Drew only kept it a secret because he cared. But I think I like your idea too! XD Don't be shy, your review are awesome! Funny you bring up that elope thing, when they first ran off and Gary found out, I originally had a part where he questioned whether or not they had run off to elope, but I ended up taking it out! :P Also, happy belated 4th of July to you too! AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY!**

**lolaxp: Haha yeah, Ghetsis has like an entire army, so he really doesn't have much need to try and control a legendary, he's already a ruler of a good portion the world, plus that plot is so over used! XD Kidding, but no, I actually will be throwing in some legendaries, hint hint toward the flute that put them on this journey in the first place!**

**Scriptress: Yes, friendship will always prevail! And yeah, Drew can never stop trying to act cool, it's so adorable! Oh I did it, I definitely did it! By IT, are you referring to N being evil, thus making me evil? Because in that case... yeah... I did it... ;) Stay tuned for the contestshipping coming up, I hope it will blow you away!**


	23. Chapter 23

"You're engaged?!" Gary exclaimed with disbelief. Drew was staring desperately at May, wishing for her to deny it, but instead she stared hard at the ground, a sad expression on her face. His expression hardened as his eyes lowered to the guy's hand on her waist, and he wanted nothing more than to cut it off with his sword.

"Wow, so you're Brendan? What are the odds of meeting you here? I've heard so much about you! I'm Leaf, May's BEST friend! I met her on our first day of school. She's told me a lot about you!" Leaf blabbed, ignoring Gary and reaching out to excitedly shake Brendan's hand. The two boys looked at her with an expression of betrayal. She knew?

He smiled nervously at her as he pulled his hand away. She gave off a very intimidating impression, and the Wingull sitting on top of her head didn't really help her image. "It's nice to meet you, thank you for looking after May." He replied in a polite tone.

He felt an aura of aggression, and looked to the three males standing behind her. "And you are?" He questioned them.

May finally decided to speak up again, removing herself from next to Brendan to introduce her friends. "These are two of my classmates. This is Gary," She said motioning to the brunette boy. Brendan reached out to shake his hand, and Gary reluctantly accepted the gesture. He already didn't like the guy... and it wasn't just because he was stealing the girl his best friend was in love with... okay, that pretty much was the only reason.

"And... Drew." She said in a lower tone, still avoiding looking the green haired teen in the eyes. Brendan offered his hand to shake, but Drew just coolly looked down at it, keeping his hands in his pockets, before raising his eyes to give Brendan an aggressive glare, one that clearly stated he had no intentions of being friendly toward the older male.

Brendan awkwardly lowered his hand, returning Drew's expression with an impassive look. All thoughts he had of the teen were confirmed with that one expression. It was plainly obvious to see that this Drew character didn't like him, and considering they just met, there would only be one reason for his animosity. His eyes traveled down to May, he wondered if she was aware of her friend's feelings.

"This is our squad leader, Red." She moved on, motioning to her silent squad leader. Red simply nodded to him in acknowledgment.

Brendan flashed May a look of confusion. "Squad leader? You joined the Defiance?" He looked down to eye the crystal hanging from her neck. As far as he knew, she was only supposed to be in her senior year. With the region being attacked, how did she manage to graduate and join the Defiance?

"Ah, after the academy was attacked, we escaped and traveled to the Johto region for a while. That's where we met Red and were assigned to a squad." She clarified.

"I see," He said thoughtfully as he eyed the hat wearing man. His eyes then once again traveled down to the crystal hanging around her neck. He wasn't sure he'd get used to seeing her with one, she really had grown up.

"You're from the Defiance. Where were you stationed?" Red questioned after taking notice of Brendan's own crystal.

He turned his attention from May and looked over to her squad leader, he couldn't quite put his finger on it, about the name Red sounded really familiar. "I was in Johto, but after hearing about the attack here, I volunteered to be a part of the group that came over." He answered before turning to May once again. "I was worried when I found out your school was attacked. I searched around for days in the area, but Max insisted we come back this way, claiming he knew you made it out and would go to find him yourself. Honestly, I really doubted him for a while there, yet here you are."

May seemed to ignore the last part he said, for she was stuck on one word in particular. "Max?" She questioned slowly as his words sunk in. "You're with Max? He's okay?" She managed to ask as she grasped onto his shirt in desperation.

Taking notice of the look of distress on her face, he gave her a soft smile before gently placing his hand on her head in a small form of comfort. "Yeah, Max is okay. I've made sure of it. He's safe." He assured her.

Her face suddenly lit up like a light. Her eyes were shining as tears threatened to fall. She had never felt so relieved in her life. "Thank goodness," She muttered as she quickly wiped at the tears in her eyes. "Really, thank goodness." Finally she looked up to Brendan, turning her smile on him. "Thank you!" She exclaimed as she threw herself into his arms.

"Of course," He answered, before returning her hug.

The others watched the exchange with awkward expressions before frowning and turning to Drew, who was glaring hard at the ground. Knowing his feelings now, this must have been painful to watch.

* * *

><p>It turned out that the resistance group nearby had just recently moved locations after they had been discovered by Oppression grunts. Brendan and Max were both staying there, and Brendan was just out on a run gathering berries, explaining why he was carrying around the large sack. It really was lucky that he had run into the group there, and he was more than happy to take their group to the new location.<p>

"It's less than an hours walk from here," He stated as he picked up his bag and started off. The others started following him. Just as May was about to start walking, she was stopped by someone grabbing a hold of her arm.

"Why didn't you tell me you were engaged?" Drew demanded in an icy voice, questioning her only when he knew the others could no longer hear the conversation.

May narrowed her eyes at the sound of his angry tone. What right did he have to be angry? What was his problem? "I didn't really think it was any of your business. I don't really think my relationships are a concern of yours."

His grip on her arm tightened from her remark. "Like hell it's not!"

She was quick to rip her arm from his grasp as her glare intensified. "It isn't." She attested. "Like you've said before, it's not exactly something that comes up in your everyday conversation. Would you like me to have said "Hi I'm May, oh yeah and I'm engaged?" She added with sarcasm.

Drew bit his lip. She had a point. There was no reason for her to ever tell him. It wasn't like who she was going to marry was supposed to have any effect on him. Deciding to end the conversation there, May turned on her heels and headed after the group.

"I see you still wear that weird hat." May commented with a sly smile as they walked. Brendan was leading the way, with May right beside him, leaving the others to walk behind them.

Brendan looked down at her with a smile of his own. "Funny, I was just about to comment on your ragged old bandanna."

May puffed out her cheeks from his rude remark. "It's not ragged!" She stated defensively. "Besides, you were the one that gave it to me." She reasoned as she reached her hand up to touch one of her most precious treasures.

"Yeah, when you were six. I'm surprised you even still have it. Let alone that you still wear it." He said with a laugh. She really hadn't changed much in her looks, or in her personality.

"Of course I still wear it! It's really important to me! There's a reason you still wear yours, right?" She questioned.

He stared at her for a second before letting out another laugh. "I guess you're right. I'm glad it's something you could treasure." He smiled at her once again, his words bringing a blush to her face.

"Mm," She muttered in agreement, clearly embarrassed by the look he was giving her.

Drew was walking silently as he glared hard at the two walking a few feet in front of him. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he certainly didn't miss the way that Brendan guy was looking at her, or the way she was looking back at him. It was disgusting. He just couldn't believe that May was engaged, and especially to a guy like that. Like, what was that thing on his head anyways? It was the most ridiculous hat he'd ever seen.

"Don't be so hard on her," Leaf scolded as she sped up to walk next to Drew.

"I don't know what you mean." He responded, not even bothering to look her way.

"He's just pouting. I told you that you should've made your move man." Gary added in as he appeared on Drew's other side.

"Shut up." Drew growled as he whacked his friend in the ribs with his elbow. His bad mood was very apparent.

"Well it's true. You missed your chance and now she's engaged." Gary continued. Drew looked ready to punch his best friend, and add another bruise to the boy's face.

"It's arranged." Leaf voiced, breaking the two boys out of their little bickering moment. Both turned to her with looks of confusion. "May's marriage to Brendan. It was arranged by their parents." She clarified. They turned their attention from the brunette to the two walking a ways in front of them. Well that certainly made sense. Brendan was a few years older, and it was a little strange that he would be interested in a teenage girl. "May's father is a business man. He owns many types of businesses ranging from farm work, to manufacturing weapons, as well as things related to Pokemon care. Brendan's father owns a Pokemon research laboratory that partnered up with May's father. Since the two men were long time friends, they decided to ensure that their partnership lasted, so they arranged for their kids to get married." She explained.

"An arranged marriage huh? That's kinda sad." Gary muttered. He couldn't image what it would be like to have someone tell you who you were going to marry. He glanced over at Leaf to find she looked to be thinking the same thing.

"It had all been planned out since she was a baby. She knew from the moment she met him that she was going to marry him someday. It was an ideal she grew up with. She's told me that she really does like him, and not because she was forced to... but... She's been told she was going to marry him her entire life. If you ask me, it's because of that she's forced herself to love him, I don't think it's real. She doesn't know what it's like to love someone because she actually loves them. All she's ever known, is Brendan."

Drew couldn't take his eyes off of the bandanna wearing girl. She was talking excitedly with her so called fiance, and he wasn't sure if Leaf's words were true. She certainly looked happy to him. "Why are you telling me this?" He questioned.

Leaf smiled a sad smile as she watched her best friend. "Because, I think her real feelings are somewhere else. I think the only person that can truly make her happy... is you."

Drew clenched his jaw as her words sank in. How could he possibly make her happy? As he watched the two walking in front of them, all he could think about was how happy she looked. To him, Brendan was far better for her than he was.

"Don't tell me you're giving up already?" Red finally spoke up behind him. That man really did have a bad habit of listening in to other's conversations.

Drew let out an annoyed growl. "Why shouldn't I? She's engaged. And clearly she's happy with that guy."

"Because you love her... don't you?" Red asserted.

Drew bit his lip, unwilling to answer.

"I'm asking you as a friend. If you love May, then you'll do this for her. You have to show her that it's okay to love for real, and that she has a right to choose." Leaf pleaded.

Drew looked between his friends, all giving him expectant looks. "You're all really annoying." He muttered. "You do realized you're asking me to break off someone's engagement? I'm pretty sure her parents would hate my guts for something like that."

"That's okay, she doesn't talk to them anymore anyways." Leaf said with a shrug.

"Why?" Gary inquired.

Leaf frowned. "Uh, it's not really my place to say." She said, laughing it off.

The others gave her questioning looks. But through her words, Drew had made up his mind. He wasn't going to give up, not yet anyways. He'd made his resolve, he'd do whatever it took to make her fall in love with him.

* * *

><p>Finally the group stopped just outside of the forest. They were at the foot of a mountain. There were large rock walls before them, all forming a large open circular area, with only one way in.<p>

"Hiding out here was pretty smart. With the stone wall protecting you from all sides, if anyone strikes, you'd know they only have one direction to come at you from." Leaf commented upon seeing the hide out.

"Not necessarily. You have to take into account that the area above them is open to attacks from the sky. Not to mention Pokemon that could dig under the walls. And of course if they are attacked, they only have one way to escape, and if that gets blocked off, they have no where to run." Red corrected her.

Leaf nodded her head in understanding. "Of course, how did I not think of that!"

Brendan let out a light chuckle from their exchange. They really sounded like teacher and student. "You're right about that. Which is why we dug out our own escape routes and planned around that accordingly. Our base leader is pretty on top of things." He stated.

With that said, he led them inside. There were two guards posted out front, but they instantly recognized Brendan and let them all pass through.

"I have to drop off these berries, but after that, I'll show you-" He didn't get to finish his sentence before a voice shouted at him.

"Brendan! You said I could go with you when you went on food collection!" Everyone turned their heads to see a young boy running toward them with a Grovyle on his tail, and a small blonde girl holding a Dedenne. He looked rather short, and had dark blue hair that went passed his ears, and stuck out in an odd angle. He wore glasses, and had a light green shirt with a white collar, and green shoes to match. He wore an angry expression, obviously upset that Brendan had left him behind. "You promised I could go this time!" He whined before he stopped in his tracks as he noticed the group surrounding Brendan. His eyes traveled to each new face, until they landed on a very familiar one. "May?"

May's eyes widened at the sight of her brother. It had been a long time since she'd seen him, but other than being slightly taller, he really didn't look all that different. He still had that innocent boyish look to him. "Max!" She exclaimed with joy as she rushed her brother. She threw her arms around him as tears flooded her eyes. "I'm so glad you're safe." She said through her sobs of happiness. He happily accepted her hug, clinging to her with just as much happiness.

"Me too. I knew you'd make it here." He told her with a big smile over her shoulder.

She finally pulled away from him as she gave him a small smile. "I'm sorry I took so long."

"That's okay. I had Brendan with me." May looked over her shoulder to give Brendan a grateful look. "He's really cool."

May smiled down at him. "Yeah, he really is."

The two finally separated and turned to face the group. "Everyone, this is my little brother Max." May introduced. "And?" She questioned, finally taking note of the small girl who was standing exceptionally close to her brother.

"This is Bonnie." Max introduced her.

They all got acquainted with each other and made their way to a nearby tent to talk.

"We went by your school, and when I saw all those graves, I really thought one of them was you." May confessed.

Max shook his head. "It really should've been. Honestly, I don't even know how I managed to make it out. There was so much chaos. Originally I wanted to help fight back, but some of the teachers started telling us to run, so that's what I did. I found Bonnie along the way, and we hid out in the forest for a while. After a few days, they burned down the school and left. I guess they figured there was nothing left that mattered, and moved on to the towns. We met up with some other students, and went back to the school to see if we could find any survivors, but all we found were bodies."

"We couldn't just leave them there, so we gathered them up, and gave them a real burial. There were a lot who we didn't know their name, or we just couldn't tell who they were at all, so we had to give them blank markers." Bonnie chimed in with a small delicate voice.

"We hid out in the forest with a group of other students for a few weeks before the Defiance started sending help, and Brendan found us." Max added. "Finally we decided to join them and start up a resistance, and now, here we are."

With explanations out of the way, the group decided to leave the newly reunited siblings alone to catch up. Brendan and Bonnie went off to their own business, leaving Red's squad to mingle.

"So what's the plan from here?" Gary questioned. They hadn't really voiced what would happen after they found May's brother. Three pairs of eyes turned to Drew. He had said that he had only stuck around to help May find her brother. Did that mean he would now run off to find Solidad.

"Why are you looking at me?" He asked in annoyance. "I've already taken care of Solidad if that's what you're wondering."

They all gave him questioning stares and he let out a sigh. "I had Ash send out a message. I'm sure she got it. She'll come find me on her own." He clarified. "Until then, I don't really mind sticking around with you guys."

"You mean sticking around May," Gary teased.

Drew shot him a glare before muttering, "Shut up."

"We still have our original mission." Red reminded them.

The three teens looked to each other before looking to their squad leader. With everything that had happened, they nearly forgot about that.

"I think it's time you tell us what exactly that is." Drew insisted.

Red stared hard at them before nodding his head. He had told himself he wouldn't tell them until he thought they were ready. Now that he'd seen how far they'd come, he knew they were. What they were in for would be no easy journey, but if anyone could handle it, it was his squad.

* * *

><p><strong>Whoops, sorry this is a day late, I was distracted yesterday! I totally rushed through the last half of this chapter because I wanted to get it posted today, which also explains why it's kinda short. Hope it doesn't feel too rushed though... <strong>

**Twin4444: Haha I'm sure Drew would absolutely love to beat up Brendan. Oh, and thanks for pointing that out. I have a really bad habit of not proof reading, and I don't always catch these things. I went back and fixed it, it kinda bothered me too :P**

**PolarDawn: Sorry, the engagement was not a lie, though Brendan definitely brought it up to get a reaction from Drew. I hope this chapter explained the graveyard for you. The Oppression did stick around the school for a few days looking for survivors, but after burning it down, they moved on. This allowed for the students to go back and bury their friends, it wasn't actually the Defiance who did it, but just the students wanting to bury their friends. Now that probably did take a while, but it's been over a month since the initial attack, so they've had time before May and her group arrived. Thanks for the review! :)**

**EternalWhiteMoon: Haha no worries, your reaction was justified. No judging here, I'm really not that big of a fan of Brendan when he's stealing May from Drew. Thank you very much for your compliments! :D**

**QUEENSPELLER67: I know how you feel, I think Drew and Gary would probably get along really well if they met in the anime, they have very similar personalities. Is that not actually her last name? I read it online somewhere, but oh well, it went with her name anyways. :P Well Max isn't dead.. but that would've been a nice plot twist! XD**

**SHOUTING GUEST: Hahahaha this review had me cracking up! Like it was just seriously awesome! Thanks so much for your support! I know you're upset about Brendan, but just know that thanks to him, Drew showed his jealous side, and he's totally going to fight for his love! I hope no tablets are damaged in the reading of this story! XD And yes, you were the one that informed me of Contestshipping day :P**

**Forevershine: Ah, sorry! I guess I just really like leaving cliffies! It always seems like the best place to end the chapter for me! Ding Ding Ding! You're today's winner! I'm impressed that you're the only one to actually guess the reason they were engaged. Apparently a 17 year old girl being engaged isn't that weird to everyone else? :P**

**kaktus0: Yeah, I just made Burgundy dead because I needed a name there (that I couldn't make up) and I had no plans to put her in this story :P Aw come on, poor Brendan is getting such hate from everyone! He's not a terrible person or anything! But killing him off does sound like something I might do ;) (Please note that is not me guaranteeing his death or anything) Thanks for the reviews!**

**Scriptress: Haha stress no more, Max is alive and well. :P I totally loved your reactions to everything, even if it was all stressing you out! I hope this chapter was less stressful for you! Thanks for the review! :D**

**Guess Who: Yes, N is very protective of his "pet." Hmmmm, May getting jealous over Brianna... that shows up in stories as much as Drew getting jealous over Brendan... not a bad guess ;) Thanks for your review, hope the extra day for this chapter wasn't too hard to wait for!**

**Lolaxp: Hehe I think he might just be ;) Ah don't feel bad for forgetting the flute, it's been a while since it's been brought up, I'd forget about it too if I didn't have to constantly reread this thing. Yes, I feel like a story with Solidad in it won't be complete without Harley showing up as well. He'll come around too. Thanks for your review! :)**


	24. Chapter 24

May spent a good amount of time with her brother before he had to leave to go take care of his daily tasks. Though he promised to finish as fast as he could. This left May to return to her group of friends, and they were ready to discuss their plans.

Red had them all sitting in a circle, and he eyed each of them with a serious expression. Finally he reached into his bag and pulled out the flute, the one Lance had entrusted to them what seemed like an eternity ago.

"As I'm sure you know, this is the Azure flute." He stated as he set the flute down in front of him, in the middle of the circle for all to see.

"Yeah yeah, we already know that. Why the hell is it so important?" Gary asked impatiently in an annoyed voice.

Red narrowed his eyes at the teen's behavior. "There's a legend behind this flute." Red started.

"Oh oh! I know! I know!" Leaf jumped in with excitement. She remembered reading a book about old stories when she was a kid. The story about the Azure flute was one that really stuck out to her.

Red raised a brow before smiling ever so slightly. "Yes Leaf, go ahead and enlighten the group."

Leaf's mouth curved into a wide grin before she cleared her throat. "A long, long, long, long... long time ago. There was an egg that emerged in a place where there was nothing. From within this egg, hatched a Pokemon. Taking notice of this vast nothingness, the newly hatched Pokemon created the universe, the world, and the sky using its 1,000 arms. This Pokemon, was called Arceus."

"Hold up. Why are we hearing some stupid legend? What does this have to do with anything?" Gary asked, earning himself a smack from Leaf.

"Shut up and listen!" She scolded before continuing. "From there, he created the regions, crafting each one to be unique, and then he created the legendary Pokemon. All guardians to watch over the land, the sea, the sky, everything, even time and space itself. Then he created the rest of the Pokemon, creatures for the guardians to watch over, and finally he created man. Arceus was finally happy with all he had created, and lived in a peaceful world. That is, until man betrayed him."

By now, everyone in the group was listening to her story very intently. "They say there was a man who asked Arceus to lend him his power, to help better the world. Being trusting of his creation, Arceus lent the man three of his elemental plates, from which he drew his power. However, instead of using the plates for good, the man used the plates for his own personal gain, and created a war. Without all of the elemental plates, Arceus lacked the power to stop the man. Finally, the war ended, but the man died, and with him, the three elemental plates disappeared. Arceus was furious with mankind, and feeling betrayed, he left them, leaving behind only a flute. They say that when a person with a pure soul plays the flute in the Hall of Origin, Arceus will reappear, to finally bring peace to the world."

"That's a load of Garbodor," Gary scoffed. "Everyone knows Arceus is just some religious jargon. There's no such thing as some all powerful Pokemon that created the universe."

"I believe it!" May chimed in.

Drew rolled his eyes at the look of pure innocence on her face. "That's because you're gullible." He informed her.

"I am not!" She argued with puffed out cheeks.

"You honestly expect us to believe that this is the old flute from the legends, and if we go play it at the Hall of Origin, then Arceus will come back and stop the war?" Gary mocked, even saying it out loud made it sound ridiculous.

Red stared him down with a serious expression. "Yes. I do." He answered, the intensity of his gaze made Gary shrink back ever so slightly.

This seemed to upset Drew, and he jumped up from his seat on the ground, to glare down at his squad leader. "Are you serious? We nearly died getting that stupid flute out of the school, and then went through all that trouble to get it to you, all for some stupid legend? Are you kidding me?" He fumed.

Red just kept a passive expression as he watched Drew vent.

"Do you even realize how idiotic you sound? There's no such thing as some all powerful legendary Pokemon that's going to show up and save everyone. That's not the way the world works! We're all screwed! You get that right? My father is a psychopath, and he'll stop at nothing until he has control of everything, and some stupid legendary Pokemon isn't going to stop him!" He ranted.

"And what is going to stop him Drew? You?" Red questioned. "You don't have to like the plan Drew. Hell, you don't even have to believe in it. All I'm asking, is for you to give it a chance."

Drew let out a "tch" of frustration before turning around. "Let me know when you come up with a plan that isn't stupid." With that he walked away, leaving them to watch him walk. Finally, Gary too stood up.

"He's right you know. This war isn't going to end without destruction, and bloodshed. And some legend isn't going to change that." With that, he followed after his friend.

The two girls looked to each other with sad expressions before looking to their squad leader.

"So, what now?" May inquired.

Red let out a frustrated sigh. He had a feeling that's how they would react. Honestly, he had his own doubts about the flute. Yet, with the way things were going, it seemed like their only hope.

"I'd say I'd go talk to them, but Gary wants to kill me, and I'm pretty sure Drew hates my guts." He said as he took off his hat and ran a hand through his raven locks.

"Then we'll talk to them!" Leaf assured him, standing up and pulling May with her.

"Us? Why would they listen to us?" May asked.

Leaf smiled a sly smile toward her best friend. "I think you'll find that you have more power over a certain someone than you think."

May gave her a confused look, before Leaf grabbed on to her arm and started dragging her away.

* * *

><p>May and Leaf had split up to search for their friends. Leaf found Gary rather quickly, he had run off to some nearby tent and was sulking like a child.<p>

"What are you doing in here?" Leaf questioned.

He looked up at her with a frown. "I'm not going along with that plan." He informed her.

She let out a sigh as she stared him down. "Alright, what do I have to do to get you to agree to come? I'll do whatever it takes." She asked with a weighty expression.

He raised a brow and thought for a second. He'd have to come up with something he knew she'd never agree to, and then a crafty smile crossed his face. "Okay, you want me to go so bad? I'll go if you... take off your shirt."

Leaf's face turned red in about a half a second after hearing his words. "W-Why the heck would I do that? You pervert!" She screeched in embarrassment.

Gary's wicked grin only grew. "You said you'd do whatever it takes. Well that's what it'll take."

Leaf frowned for a second before looking at him with an undaunted expression. She was sure he was just messing with her, but if that's what it took to get him to come, then she'd do it. "If that's what you want." With that said, she slowly reached her hand down and grabbed the hem of her shirt. Gary watched her with a curious expression, she wouldn't really do it. With a shaky breath, she started pulling up her shirt, revealing her stomach, before she could go any further, Gary's hand suddenly stopped her.

"What the heck are you doing?!" He exclaimed, his cheeks burning red.

She narrowed her eyes at him, before replying, "I'm doing what you said to do. If this is the only way to get you to come, then I'll do it!" She then tried to lift her shirt once again, but Gary's strong grip refused to let her move an inch.

"You weren't supposed to agree to it! Are you some kind of idiot?" His cheeks were still red as he glared down at her. "Seriously! If any guy asked that of you, would you just do it without a second thought? How careless can you be?"

She shook her head, her gaze still remained firmly on him. "Not for any guy. Just you." She assured him.

He wasn't sure his face could get any redder. Honestly, she was the only girl that could get that kind of reaction from him.

"Jeez," He muttered to himself as he brought his hand up to cover his face in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. "I get it okay? I'll go, so just pull your shirt down, and keep your clothes on."

She smiled triumphantly as her shirt fell back down. Why did she always win?

* * *

><p>May wasn't sure just how she ended up wandering the base looking for Drew. In fact, she was also confused as to what Leaf meant when she said 'I think you'll find that you have more power over a certain someone than you think.' Obviously she was referring to Drew, but why would she think that? As far as she knew, Drew didn't really take her thoughts into consideration any more than the others. Then again, he had followed her all the way to Hoenn, and stuck with her to help her find her brother, even though he had somewhere else to be. So maybe that was it? Maybe Drew didn't want to go along, because he was here waiting for Solidad? It made sense, after all, he never really planned to be a part of the Defiance anyway.<p>

It took her a while to find him, but finally she started asking around if anyone had seen a guy with green hair, he really wasn't hard to miss. She paused outside of the small cave someone had seen him walk into. There were many small caves inside the rock walls that surrounded them, and hiding out in one would certainly be a good idea if you wanted to be alone. She let out a small sigh before walking inside. It was dark for a second before she saw a light around the corner, and there she found Drew, sitting on a rock, and staring at the candle that was producing light.

"What do you want?" He asked her without even looking up to see who it was.

"I want to know why you're acting like a child," She huffed as she crossed her arms.

Drew let out a sarcastic laugh before replying, "Me? You're the one that still believes in bedtime stories."

Her eyebrows tightened from his words. "Who says it's just a bedtime story? Do you have any proof it's not real?"

His eyes finally flickered over to her, giving off a look that said she was incredibly stupid. "I don't need proof, all I need is common sense. If there are a bunch of 'Guardians' watching over everything, where are they now, while it's all falling apart?"

Her expression softened as she thought about what he said. He had a point. Arceus wasn't the only legendary Pokemon, if they existed, why weren't the others doing anything either? Why were they all just watching mankind tear itself apart, and destroy the beautiful world they created?

"Why are you trying so hard not to believe?" She finally spoke up.

His gaze left her and once again went back to the candle. "Because I have no faith left. There's only one way to stop my father."

She didn't like the dark look that came into his eyes. The same look he got every time his father came up. "You killing him? Is that really the only way?"

"It is." He answered curtly.

Her hand reached up to clench her shirt, just where her heart was. His words hurt. He looked like he was in pain, and she didn't know how to help him.

"Drew..." She started, unsure of what to say, but he cut her off anyway.

"Just go away. I have no intentions of going off on some stupid waste of time journey. Why don't you just get your dumb fiance to go?" He held such venom in his voice at the last sentence, and she was incredibly confused by his sudden animosity.

"What does Brendan have to do with anything?" She countered.

Drew finally stood up to glare hard at the brunette girl. "Because it just shows how stupid you are! Marrying someone just because your parents told you to! You don't even really love him!"

Her eyes widened for half a second before her eyebrows came together in an angry glare. "What do you know? I'm marrying Brendan because I LOVE him! Not because of what my parent's say!"

He rolled his eyes at her denial. "Please, anyone with eyes can see that it's forced. You're just telling yourself it's love, because you don't want to face the facts that you're going to marry someone that you have no real attachment to."

His words struck her hard, and she was getting beyond furious. "Shut up!" She screeched. "Just shut up! You don't know anything!" She'd had enough of his moody attitude. Ever since they'd been there, he'd been acting even grumpier than usual, and she was getting tired of him taking it out on her for no reason. "It's not like it even concerns you! Why do you even care?"

He was annoyed now. How could she still not get it? He felt like he'd made it plainly obvious, but apparently May was more dense than he thought. After all, the others had figured it out. So, he was just going to have to show her. Before she could even protest, he had suddenly pushed her backward against the wall behind her. His two hands were pressed on both sides of her, blocking her in.

"W-What are you-" She was cut off as he suddenly closed the distance between them, and pressed his lips against hers. Her eyes were wide in surprise as she realized that he was kissing her. Drew Hayden was kissing her. It wasn't a soft kiss either, it was almost too forceful, like he was trying to convey all of his pent up emotions in that one act. She was completely frozen in place, not willing to accept it, but also not willing to push him away either. Finally, almost as quickly as it happened, he pulled away.

She couldn't read the expression on his face as she sagged to the floor, her eyes still wide with shock. "That's why," He stated, answering her question from earlier, before turning and walking away, leaving her to get lost in her thoughts.

Her fingers ever so slowly traced over her lips, the feeling of his were still present there. His lips were surprisingly soft. It took her a minute to realize what he had said. He'd kissed her, and said that was why he cared. That really only meant one thing. It explained why he was so upset lately. It explained why he had been glaring at Brendan, and why he got mad every time her fiance was brought up. It was likely even Leaf knew, and it explained her words from earlier. Drew liked her. THE Drew Hayden actually liked HER, and she had no idea what to do with that information. All she could do, was sit and stare at the small amount of light that the candle was giving off. She felt in a daze as she watched the flame flicker. She had no idea what to feel, or what to think. So, she just sat there, in that small cave, staring at the candle, wishing she was anywhere else in the world, but there.

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><p><strong>Eh, this chapter was really short, but it certainly had an intense moment at the end there. Sorry for the cliffie. I'm also super sorry for the lack of update last week. I'm closing in on finals week, and I haven't had much time for writing. But I finally sneaked in some hours last night and this morning to type this up really fast, which is why it's so short, but I didn't want to leave you guys waiting any longer! Thank you so much for your patience, you guys are awesome! :)<strong>

**PolarDawn: Ah yes well, Drew didn't seem to think his plan through with this one. Because that is really NOT the way to tell a girl you like her. Trust me, I'm sure Drew would LOVE to kill Brendan... maybe I should just let that happen since so many people want him dead XD No problem, I'm always willing to answer questions, because yeah digging that many graves probably took a lot of time, but you also have to consider that they have Pokemon, I'm sure digging a grave wouldn't take too long for a ground type. The LeafxGary action will happen, I just keep favoring Contestshipping a bit, but don't worry, I actually have the real romance scene between them written up, I'm just sorta waiting for the right place and time to throw it in. Thanks for your reviews! :)**

**Shouting Guest: Oh of course, awesome reviews can only come from awesome people! ;) Ah an epic sword battle of two men fighting for their love, I may or may not have some plans of that... Ah sorry for the cliffhanger, I would think everyone would be used to them by now, I do it a lot :P I too would be kind of annoyed if my friends were that nosy, but at the same time I'd appreciate the fact that they cared, and just wanted me to be happy. I think that's how Drew felt about it. Like he thought they were annoying, but he also appreciated that they finally helped him accept his feelings. Haha well I'll be honest, I don't really want to kill of Brendan, but my thing is, I really listen to the readers. If I get a lot of people saying they want to see something, or don't, then I'll listen. Like how so many people want Solidad to come back, I've changed some plot around to make it so she'll be coming back sooner than I planned, and I'll probably give her a bigger role than I intended as well. Really it's thanks to the readers that this story has come this far, so if all my readers want Brendan dead, then I might just decide to kill him off. Though, there is a certain line I'll have to draw, like if it interferes with the plot too much, but Brendan dying... I can make that happen. Thanks for reviewing! :)**

**Guest: Drew and Gary were upset because Leaf already knew about Brendan, while they did not. She knew who he was and knew May was engaged to him because May had told her at some point. Thanks for asking, if you need anything else clarified, let me know :)**

**Forevershine: Eeeeeh... I'd say Max is pretty much just brains, like he was only a freshman, so he didn't have much training, so I'd say he was probably a lot of weight for Brendan, especially because the poor guy had to watch out for Bonnie too. Oh I think I get what you mean, I don't know about lightening the mood, but tension? I'd say there's lots and lots of tension... :D Thanks for the review!**

**Twin4444: Haha or maybe that's just what I WANT you to think. ;) Thanks for the review!**

**EternalWhiteMoon: No worries! Drew is definitely working to destroy that engagement, even if he's going about it in a bad way. Thanks for the review, and for the prayers, I could always use more of those! :)**

**Guess Who: Oh you thought last chapter made them awkward around each other, now wait wait till next chapter... Yes to the Oldrival! I'm working on it, I swear! Yay someone who actually wants Brendan to be happy! I'm still not sure where his story will go, we'll see. I loooooove reading books and fan-fiction, I feel like so much of my life is used up on reading, and you should see the book shelves in my room filled with them. I pretty much only read romance stories, and I'm a big fan of supernatural paranormal romance kinda stuff. Thanks for the question and the review! You rock! :)**

**QUEENSPELLER67: Ah thanks for clarifying that, well I liked the last name I gave her anyways, it fit. And yes, his death would be one heck of a plot twist indeed. Thanks a bundle for the review! :)**

**Kaktus00: Ahahaha homewrecker! That made me laugh so hard! And then your little imagination about Brendan last chapter, you're killing me with the laughs XD Thank you so much for the review, and yes, Drew will confront his father.. some time in the future.**

**Lolaxp: Poor Drew indeed. And yeah, Red is such a nosy squad leader. Haha yeah, all it took was some other man to pop in, and Drew instantly forgot is little vow to ignore his feelings. Psh, men am I right? :P Solidad is an incredibly talented and amazing woman, finding Drew will be no problem for her, trust me. ;) Lyra and Silver are in fact alive, and I have it all planned out, but I've been changing stuff around, so I'm not sure when I'll be bringing them back. It was the Azure flute! Thanks for your review! :)**

**Scriptress: Ah I'm glad you picked up on that! Seriously, it made me sad to write about, Drew kept promising her to find her brother because he loved her and wanted to make her happy, even if he didn't realize it. Then Brendan comes in and not only stole that away, but is also engaged to her. It was like a double whammy on poor Drew. Luckily, he's not gonna take that lying down! Thanks for always leaving awesome reviews! :)**

**BlazingSapphire22: OOOOOH Those are good questions! And all of which involve a spoiler if I answer them, but I'll try my best. 1. I'll just come out and say it since I already have before, yes, Lyra and Silver are very much alive. 2. All I can say here is that Solidad has been a very busy woman, and this will be answered fully when she shows up :) 3. Ah, I can't answer any part of that! Just know that N is awesome, and you can take some wild guesses about who the pet it ;) Thank you so so much for the praise!**


	25. Chapter 25

May once again found herself wandering around the base looking for Drew. After sitting by herself for what seemed like an eternity, she finally decided to search him out, and confront him. She was pretty sure Drew just confessed to her, and it wasn't a good way to do it. After all, he had just stolen her first kiss, something that belonged to her fiance, and certainly not some random boy. Definitely not to the boy who had done nothing but torment her since the day she met him. She wasn't even sure Drew genuinely even felt anything special for her, or if he just kissed her just to kiss her. Though one thing was for sure, even if he did like her, he kissed her without her consent, and she was pissed.

She stormed passed Max, and her little brother watched her stomp her way through the base with a look of confusion. He wasn't sure who had upset his sister, but he certainly felt sorry for whoever her wrath was about to be aimed at.

She finally found Drew with Gary and Leaf, the three seemed to be lost in a conversation, but she didn't care that she was about to interrupt it. She marched her way right up to him, and just as Drew turned to face her, her hand was slapping his face. He winced ever so slightly as his head whipped to the side. Okay, so he probably deserved that. What he wasn't expecting was her to slap him a second time on the other cheek.

"Ow what the hell?!" He exclaimed as Leaf, and Peeko on top of her head, stared on with wide eyes, while Gary laughed his head off.

It was then that he got a good look at the brunette's face, and he didn't think he'd ever seen her look so livid. "How dare you!" She shouted bringing her hand up to slap him again. He decided that was enough of that and grabbed her wrist, stopping her from damaging his pride even further. "That was my first kiss you Asshole! How dare you just take it without asking! It didn't belong to you!" She seethed.

His eyebrows quirked at that. Had she seriously gone her entire life without kissing anyone? Now he definitely didn't regret it. In fact, he felt pretty proud that he kissed her before her damned fiance did. He was so glad, he couldn't help the smirk that slid across his face.

Her eyes narrowed at his reaction. "Quit smirking you jerk! This is no joking matter! I'm engaged! You can't go around kissing girls that are engaged!" She shouted, but the green haired teen didn't seem to care as his eyes drifted to the figure that had suddenly appeared on the scene.

May froze as she noticed the smirk slide off of his face. She turned around to find the last person she wanted to see at the moment. Brendan was standing there with wide eyes as he looked between the two teens.

"Is that true?" He directed his question to the green haired boy.

May was quick to rip her arm from Drew's grasp. "Brendan... I..." She started, unsure of just what to say. She didn't want him to find out, but now the cat was out of the bag.

Brendan ignored her as his eyes narrowed. "I asked if it was true." He said again, taking note of the glare Drew was giving him.

"So what if it is?" Drew stated in a derisive manner.

Brendan clenched his jaws as the words left the teen's mouth. Did he seriously kiss someone else's fiance, and then have no regrets about it? He really didn't think this Drew kid was much to worry about, but clearly he was mistaken. He surged forward and grabbed Drew by the collar of his shirt.

"Who do you think you are? What right do you have to touch her?" He seethed. It wasn't often Brendan got upset, in fact, it was so rare May herself had never even seen it. But now she watched with wide eyes as her fiance seemed beyond livid.

Drew's own glare never faltered as he threw his arm up to smack away Brendan's grip. "I think I'm the person that's actually been around her. Where the hell were you when her school was attacked and she barely made it out alive? Where were you when she almost drowned, or when she was attacked on multiple occasions? She would've been dead by now it it wasn't for me. If you ask me, the guy who hasn't even seen her in years shouldn't be talking about rights."

"Oh yeah? Well while you were in the safety of your school enjoying your little art classes and extra curricular activities, I was out fighting a war. I'd say I'm more experienced to protect her than you." Brendan challenged.

Drew was quick to draw his sword and point it at the older man. "Wanna bet?" He dared.

"Drew!" May exclaimed. He was acting completely ridiculous. But while she half expected it from the green haired teen, she certainly wasn't expecting it from Brendan. She let out a gasp as her fiance too drew his sword. The air was thick with tension as the two stood facing each other, each ready to strike the other down.

"Don't you think we should stop this?" Leaf whispered over to Gary.

"Are you kidding? I've been waiting for this fight since we got here." He replied with an eager expression. He knew Drew well, and as such, knew it was only a matter of time before his best friend lost his cool. This was that moment, and he couldn't wait to see just what May's fiance was made of.

Drew was the first to move, he rushed forward holding his sword off to the side before swiping across at Brendan. The older male was quick to throw himself back, easily evading having his gut sliced open. Drew followed up with a straight jab, but the attack was parried away, and returned with a return jab. Drew danced around his opponents sword and narrowed his eyes, that was too close. He once again went on the offensive as he brought his sword up over his head and forced it down to Brendan with full force. Brendan let out a grunt as he brought his sword up to block Drew's. The two pieces of metal clashed with a loud clang. The two glared at each other over their swords, neither one willing to back down. Drew pulled back and then started with a barrage of attacks. Brendan made quick work of parrying and blocking, not allowing Drew to overpower him. Finally he found an opening, and went on the offensive. Now it was Drew's turn to defend as Brendan started up his own onslaught. Like Brendan, Drew managed to defend against each attack, and neither one seemed to be gaining the upper hand. The two finally separated and took a few steps back from each other. It was clear that the two were an even match.

"Okay, you proved your point, time to stop." May said with a fierce glare at each as she rushed over to stand between the two. Her glare was pointed mainly at Drew, she was clearly upset that he had instigated this fight. Drew lowered his sword with a huff of annoyance. He had yet to really get serious, and he was curious if Brendan was really taking that fight seriously. He had a feeling the older man was holding back as well.

May turned to her fiance leaving Drew to glare over her shoulder. "I'm sorry. He has a way of not thinking before he acts." She apologized. "I understand if you're upset, but it was just a kiss. It really didn't mean anything, so don't be mad, okay?" She said as she looked up to him with her big blue eyes.

Brendan's expression softened as he gazed at her apologetic face. "I'm not mad at you." He assure her with a pat on her head. "After all, you're right. It meant nothing." He said as he looked over her head to give a pointed look to Drew, causing said boy's expression to darken. With that said, the older man started walking away, she looked back apologetically before leaving her three squad mates behind.

"You know, when I said to make her love you, that wasn't exactly how I pictured you going about it." Leaf scolded. Drew rolled his eyes. He already knew that, he didn't need her rubbing it in.

"Shut up," He muttered with a sigh. He had totally messed things up, and now he had no idea how to fix it. May probably hated his guts at the moment.

"That guy... He's pretty good." Gary finally joined in the conversation. The two other teens looked to him. "I mean, I know you were holding back, but I gotta say, for him to be able to keep up with you as easily as he did. It was obvious he was holding back too. I can't help but wonder how much skill the guy is keeping to himself."

Drew let out a short "Tch," before turning away with his hands stuffed in his pockets. "How annoying," He muttered. Drew started walking away, probably off to sulk somewhere. Leaf and Gary were ready to follow him, but Leaf paused. She smelt something strange, a familiar scent that she just couldn't place her finger on. She looked up and let out a gasp. There was a huge cloud of purple powder that was slowly raining down on them.

"Sleep powder." She muttered as she dug through her bag to find a small mask which she quickly slipped over her nose and mouth.

"What are you-" Gary was cut off as Leaf shoved a mask onto his face while yelling, "Drew!"

The green haired teen turned around with a look of confusion before he glanced up to find the purple powder coming down on them. He was quick to grab his own mask and slip it on. Fortunately Red had required them to keep them on hand at all times. Their squad leader was always a step ahead. Though Drew had to admit, if Leaf hadn't warned him, he probably wouldn't have noticed in time.

Leaf pulled her bag open and held it out while looking up and the Pokemon perched on her head. Peeko was already starting to get drowsy. "Peeko, get in my bag." She ordered, and the small bird jumped inside and fell asleep. That powder worked fast.

"Warn as many as you can!" Drew yelled to the other two as he instantly started running away.

"Where are you going?" Leaf called after him.

"To find May!" He yelled over his shoulder.

With a nod of their heads, Leaf and Gary took off to the center of the base, hoping to get out a good warning before everyone started falling asleep. Unfortunately, they were already too late. The closer they got to the center, the more people they ran by that were asleep on the ground.

"What do we do? Everyone's asleep!" Leaf cried out as they ran by a familiar face before skidding to a stop. "Max!" Leaf exclaimed as she spun back around. May's little brother obviously hadn't noticed the powder in time, and was out cold on the ground. "We can't just leave him..." She said with a glance over to her friend. May would kill her if they did.

"Yeah yeah..." Gary muttered with a sigh as he picked the kid up and threw him over his shoulder. He was just lucky the kid was smaller than a normal fourteen year old. "So now what?" He questioned.

Leaf looked around in desperation. Sleeping trainers and Pokemon littered the ground. How had no one else noticed in time? When they reached the center of the base, they found a small number of people in a group, all wearing masks similar to their own. At least they weren't the only ones. As they ran up to the group, Red was quick to run over to them.

"I had a feeling you'd catch it in time." He said to Leaf, knowing she knew those types of attacks well. "Where are May and Drew?" He questioned as he gave the sleeping boy on Gary's shoulder a weary look.

"Drew ran off to find May," Leaf answered, pleased by her leader's compliment. "What's happening?"

Red looked up taking notice that the powder had stopped falling, and was now starting to dissipate. "I think we're about to be attacked." He answered as he removed his hat and shook off any excess powder on it.

"Alright everyone. This base has been compromised, I want all of you to grab however many sleepers you can, and drag them with you. We need to get out of here." A woman yelled out, clearly the one in charge.

"You can't be serious! You can't get everyone out in time! You're just going to leave them here?" Gary spoke up in anger.

The woman turned to him with a glare. "It's not the most ideal option, but yes. Odds are, there's an army about to come in here, and we only have a dozen people standing. Do you honestly think we'll stand a chance? It's best to just get out of here while we can, and take as many numbers as we can with us." She replied with a fierce gaze.

Gary's jaw clenched from her words. She was right. It was better to save as many as they could, because if they stayed and tried to fight, their entire base would be wiped out in one sweep. The other members were quick to follow their leader's orders and started slinging their sleeping comrades over their shoulders, and rushing to the escape routes. With a nod from their squad leader, Leaf and Gary followed their lead. Leaf found little Bonnie sleeping a few feet away, and scoped the young girl into her arms, while Gary found some random guy and threw him over his other shoulder. They just really hoped that Drew had managed to find May.

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><p>Drew ran quickly in the direction May and Brendan had walked off. It didn't take him long to find them. Thankfully both had masks on, and were lucky to have noticed in time. They both turned to Drew as he ran up.<p>

"Drew, thank goodness you noticed in time." She said with a sigh of relief. Her anger at him would have to be forgotten for the time being.

"Thank Leaf," He stated as he looked up to find the powder had stopped falling. "How'd you notice?"

May looked up to Brendan to answer. "As a kid I used to help my father with his Pokemon research. I'd recognize the smell of sleep powder anywhere."

While he still hated the older man's guts, Drew had to admit he was a little thankful for him in that one moment.

"We need to get out of here. I guarantee we're about to be attacked." Drew said as he looked around, and sure enough, a team of bird Pokemon flew over their heads, each one had multiple people on it. The figures then started jumping down from the bird Pokemon and were landing inside the base around them. Their black and red uniforms gave away who they were.

"Move!" Drew yelled out as a grunt landed a few feet away from them.

They all started running, cutting through the center of the base to the nearest escape route. May took note of the many sleeping bodies that were being left behind, before she let out a gasp. "I can't leave without Max!" She exclaimed as she stopped in her tracks, looking around trying to find her brother among the many sleeping faces.

Drew muttered a curse as he too started looking around. They didn't come this far to leave that damned kid behind now. It was then that he noticed quite a ways away, Leaf and Gary following after their squad leader. He took notice of the familiar figure that was slung over his best friend's shoulder.

"Gary's got him!" He pointed out. May followed his gaze and let out a sigh of relief. He'd surely be safe with Red.

"Let's follow their example and get out of here." Brendan stated as he lead the way to the exit closest to them. May watched her friend disappear before following after her fiance with Drew at her side.

The three made it to the large rock wall that was supposed to protect them and stopped. Brendan removed the crystal from around his neck and released his Pokemon. A large Swampert came from within the light, and let out a loud cry. The Pokemon took note of the situation, and moved to push the rock nearest them aside, revealing a passageway.

It was then that a couple of grunts spotted them and rushed toward them. Drew reacted first as the first grunt charged him with his sword. He easily maneuvered around the man's sword and slammed his fist into the grunt's face. The man stumbled back, his grip on his sword loosening. Drew took advantage of this, and smacked the weapon from the man's grasp. He then kicked low, snapping the man's leg with a blow to the knee. As the man crumbled, Drew brought his knee up and slammed it into the man's face, knocking him out cold. The second grunt then charged toward him, but stopped in his tracks as an arrow pierced through his eye, he let out a strangled cry before falling dead to the ground. Drew turned around to glance at May, still holding her bow in position.

"I had that," He assured her as he reached down and removed the arrow from the man's eye socket.

He wiped the bloodied arrow on his pants before handing it over to his squad mate. "You're welcome," She replied as she put it back into her quiver.

The two then followed after Brendan as they ran through the opening, only to be met with a surprise attack. There were a group of grunts laying in wait for someone to come out of the passage. Brendan was caught by surprise as he emerged from the opening first. The grunt closest was quick to slash at him. Brendan let out a cry of pain as the grunt managed to slice open his right arm. He clutched it in pain as he stumbled back. The grunt came in for another attack, but was stopped by an arrow in his neck. Two other grunts surged forward. Drew intercepted them, parrying the first's attack, and using the motion to slice the second one's throat. He then spun back around to block another attack from the first. He pushed his sword down, causing his opponent to lose stance, and then made quick work of slitting his throat as well. He looked up to the remaining grunts with a dark look, as if warning them to try coming after him.

The grunts paused as they stared him down. Green hair and matching green eyes, this certainly had to be the one they were looking for. One of the grunts nodded to a woman standing on a branch in the tree above them. She pulled out a small firework and pointed it up. They all watched in wonder as it shot up to the sky and blew up into a colorful display.

"What was that?" May inquired.

"Trouble," Drew answered. They were signaling something, and he was sure it was bad news. "We need to get out of here." He informed them before looking back to the grunts blocking their way. There were only four of them, but Drew questioned if they'd make it passed them. Brendan was right handed, and without the use of his right arm, he couldn't really fight.

The grunts attacked first, and Drew instantly clashed swords with the closest one. He was quick to push off of the man as another came up from his side. He ducked under the attack, only to be met with a third opponent. He let out a grunt of annoyance as he was barely able to avoid the attack, earning him a cut on his cheek.

The woman from the tree had jumped down and targeted the other two. May fired an arrow, but the woman was fast, and moved out of the way, the arrow slicing through a few hairs on its way passed. May let out a growl as she tired to fire off another, but the woman closed the distance between them too quickly. She let out a gasp as the woman brought her sword down, but was suddenly stopped. Brendan had stopped the attack just in time, but with just his left arm, he was a little shaky. May readied her bow and tried to aim, but couldn't fire for fear of hitting her fiance. Finally she saw an opening and released the arrow, hitting the woman in the shoulder. She let out a cry of pain and dropped her sword, allowing Brendan to finish her off.

They turned their attention to Drew who was still fighting three opponents. He had parried one's attack, causing the man to stumble away while another took his place. Drew was able to fend off the man's attacks, but he sensed the third man was coming up from behind him. He stole a glance back and at just the right second moved out of the way to avoid having his spine cut in half. This left the man he was fighting to take the attack, and the other grunt sliced through his own teammate's chest. The grunt stood in shock as he realized he took down his fellow grunt, but he didn't have time to dwell on it before Drew reappeared and pierced his sword through the man's stomach. Drew had let down his guard as the final grunt reappeared behind him. He whirled around just in time for an arrow to pierce through the man's heart.

He turned back to May with a sour expression. "I had that," he said as he tried to catch his breath.

May rolled her eyes as she replied, "You're welcome."

"We need to move. That flare just gave away our location, and we'll have more grunts on us any second." Brendan stated while still clutching his bleeding arm.

"Are you okay?" May questioned him with concern.

He just shrugged as he started walking with May following closely behind. "It's just a flesh wound." He assured her.

Drew rolled his eyes as he made work of retrieving May's arrows from the corpses before following after them. He half hoped the guy's arm would just fall off.

The three walked a little ways before they came into a small clearing, with a large hill on the other side.

"We have a rendezvous point just over that hill. The others will be gathering there." Brendan said as they made their way out of the forest.

They didn't get far before Drew spotted something familiar. '_You have GOT to be kidding_,' Drew thought to himself as soon as he realized who it was. A large Salamence was flying toward them, with a very familiar woman riding it. The Pokemon suddenly charged up an attack, and Drew's eyes widened as he realized it was aimed at them.

"Get down!" Was all he had time to yell before a hyper beam attack hit the ground right in front of them. It caused an explosion that sent the three flying. Drew hit the ground hard on his back, and let out a choking sound as the air was knocked out of his lungs. His vision blurred as he laid flat on the ground gasping for breath, unable to pick himself up. His head was spinning and his ears were ringing from the loud sound the explosion created. He wanted to just lay there, because moving was too painful, but a voice in the back of his mind was telling him that he had to get up. He some how managed to roll onto his stomach and he looked around trying to focus despite the fact that his world was spinning. Through the smoke that it had created, he could vaguely make out multiple silhouettes.

He knew he had to get up, and it took a good amount of strength, but he somehow manage to pull himself up to a sitting position. He felt pain all over, but there was one spot in particular that seemed to hurt worse. He looked down to find a rather large rock had embedded itself into his side. He lifted a shaky hand and grabbed onto it. With a painful cry he pulled it out, and was thankful that it wasn't too deep, but it still hurt like Hell. With a trembling exhale he surveyed his surroundings. Where were May and Brendan? Somehow he managed to stand up, but he was very unsteady on his feet. He nearly crumbled from the pain in his side, but pushed the pain to the back of his mind. He needed to get to May. He reached up to the crystal around his neck and released his Flygon. He needed to clear this smoke. His Pokemon flapped his wings at a rapid pace, and Drew covered his eyes as the powerful winds created flew around him. Finally the smoke cleared and he opened his eyes to be met with shock. There were about a dozen grunts surrounding him, but it was who was standing in charge of them that shocked him. He recognized Hunter J. She was glaring hard at him, as if she harbored some deep hatred for him... which given their last encounter, wouldn't be too hard to believe. However, it was the person standing next to her that gave him the most shock.

Standing before him was just about the last person he was expecting to see. He hadn't changed much in the ten years they'd been apart. Though he did look older, more mature, and his hair was much longer, Drew still knew instantly who the man standing before him was.

"Big...Brother?" He voiced, not bothering to hide the shock.

N was standing quite a distance away, but he heard his brother loud and clear. "It's been a while, little Drew."

He wanted to question his brother why he was here, but he already knew the answer, considering who he was hanging around.

Drew allowed his eyes to wonder around, before stopping to his right. May was on the ground, and she wasn't moving. Brendan was kneeling by her side, glaring at the group that was before them, knowing just how screwed they were. The man looked like the explosion had done it's toll on him as well, as a trail of blood flowed from his forehead and down his face. While he didn't see any blood, Drew assumed May must have gotten the full force of the attack based on the many scratches she had, well and the fact that she was unconscious. He hoped she was still breathing.

"It's time you come with us." Hunter J spoke up, turning his attention back to the matter at hand.

"Sorry, but that's not happening," He stated, trying his best not to start choking on the smoke that was still trapped in his lungs.

N took a step forward. "You're coming home whether you want to or not. Isn't it better to just come quietly?" He reasoned.

Drew glared at his older brother. He was right. Going in quietly would certainly be easier. He knew he stood no chance against them. May was out cold, and Brendan couldn't fight, and by himself he was way too out numbered, not to mention his current state. But then, he knew what it would mean. He let his gaze drift back over to Brendan and May. Brendan was giving him a look of confusion. Probably wondering just what the heck they were talking about. Drew knew that he was their only target. They had no need for the others, and that meant that they would surely be killed on the spot.

His hand was still trembling, but he somehow managed to reach down and pull out his sword. "I'm not going anywhere," He stated firmly.

N's expression darkened. His brother had some guts. But he was incredibly stupid. He could hardly hold his sword. What kind of resistance did he possibly think he'd give? "Why are you willing to fight when it's so obvious you stand no chance?" He inquired. Truly curious as to what was going through his brother's head.

"If you take me with you, what happens to them?" Drew asked as he motioned his head over to his friends.

N glanced in their direction before returning his gaze to his brother. "We have no need for prisoners. They will die where they are." He informed him without a hint of remorse.

Drew clenched his jaw. "Then that's why." He answered.

This was a little surprising to N. He was sure Solidad would have taught him that relationships made you weak. Why was he exerting himself to protect them?

"You would go so far for them?"

Drew's eyes wandered over to May before he answered, "I would."

N didn't miss the way his brother stared at the girl on the floor. He had no idea who she was, but clearly she was important to Drew.

"Then prove it. Fight me." Drew's eyes widened at his brother's statement. "I can be reasonable, so we'll make an agreement. If you can beat me, I'll still take you, but let them live. Sound fair?"

Drew glared at the ground as he thought over the proposition. They were screwed either way. He knew there was no getting out of it this time. The least he could do was make sure May didn't get killed. He finally looked back up at his brother, and nodded his head.

N smirked before surging forward and drawing his sword. Drew tensed up as his brother approached. He didn't have even a fraction of his strength, but he needed to think up something, and fast. He brought his sword up to block just as N swung down at him. Their swords crossed at an X as the two brothers stared each other down over their weapons. Up close, N could see just how worn down Drew was. His little brother had grown up, his features were very similar to their father, but his eyes held the same ferocity as their mother. Despite the fact that he obviously had no energy to fight, Drew appeared very determined. N added some force to his sword, and pushed down on his brother's. Drew let out a cry of pain as the pain from his side shot up his arm. His grip faltered and his brother used this to push him back, then in a swift motion, he kicked his brother hard in the chest, sending him flying back.

Drew let out a grunt as he hit the ground and rolled, his sword skidding away from his grasp. He finally came to a stop on his stomach a few feet away from May and Brendan. He was gasping for breath as he tried to stand, but found he couldn't muster up the strength. Every muscle was sore, even breathing was becoming painful. He lifted his head to see May's unconscious form. Strands of her hair covered her face, which was now littered with scratches and bruises. Brendan was hovering over her, but his gaze was fixed on Drew as he clutched his still bleeding arm. An unspoken conversation lingered between them. Brendan was well aware of the consequences if Drew lost.

Drew's hands balled into fists as his jaw clenched. He couldn't protect them. He was so worthless, he couldn't protect anyone. They were going to die. N didn't care about the other two, he was only here to take Drew. He'd have May and Brendan killed as if it were nothing. He couldn't, no, he WOULDN'T, let that happen. The thought of May dying because of him forced Drew to work up the strength to stand. His breathing was ragged as he turned to face his brother. N's eyes widened as Drew faced him. His eyes held so much determination, it nearly gave him the chills. So his brother really had grown, the determination he had as a child had blossomed into a strength. N was amazed that Drew could still even stand at this point, yet there he was, clearly not willing to back down. It was hard enough to fight him as it was. But N wasn't sure if he could really break his little brother down anymore. Did that girl really mean so much to him? Drew slowly started toward his sword, his legs shaking with every step. When he finally got to the weapon he reached down and grasped it with a trembling hand. It almost hurt to watch as he was hardly able to hold it up.

"Give it up little brother. This is not a fight you can win." N informed him, careful to cover any emotions.

Drew fiercely shook his head. "I won't let you." He said in a hoarse voice. "I won't let you kill them."

N sighed as his gaze once again drifted to the unconscious girl and the boy next to her. His whole life he was taught that attachments made you weak, and yet, his brother has shown that his attachment to his friends has given him strength. It was a puzzling thing. However, it was time to end this little game. In two seconds, N had closed the distance between them, and once again knocked the sword from Drew's grasp. The weapon hit the dirt with a thud as N grabbed Drew by the collar of his shirt. His strength was gone, and N holding his shirt was the only thing keeping him standing. N could see it clearly, Drew's face was pale, his breathing was shallow and forced. He glanced down to see his shirt was soaked with blood. It seemed as though he was only still conscious by sheer force. His little brother truly was amazing.

N was once again amazed as his little brother lifted his hand to grasp a hold of N's wrist. There was no strength behind it, but it was all he could do to fight back.

"I won't let you." He repeated.

N's heart nearly broke from the sight. Why was he still fighting so hard? He had a feeling that the feelings Drew had toward that girl went far beyond friendship. It reminded him of his own feelings for a certain brunette. Would he go so far to protect her? Of course, he had been protecting her in his own way, it was no question that he would be doing the same as his little brother.

His attention was brought back to reality as he heard a familiar noise. He dropped his brother to the ground as an arrow whizzed past his face, leaving a scratch on his cheek. He glanced down to watch as a trail of blood dripped off of his face, and onto the dirt below him. His gaze then drifted to where the shot had come from. What he saw was a real shock.

Her blue eyes were glaring fiercely, like a mother Tyranitar protecting her babies. Her long soft pink hair was blowing in the wind as she raised her bow and sent another arrow flying, this one landing in front of him, causing him to take a step back away from Drew.

"I'm afraid it's not yet time for you to take him." She stated in an angelic voice as she lowered her bow.

N stared at her intently. She looked just the same as she did all those years ago. Despite the fact that it had been over a decade since he'd last seen her, she looked like she hadn't aged a day.

Drew instantly recognized the voice, even if she wasn't in his line of vision. He felt himself relax, it would all be okay now.

"What, exactly, do you think you're going to accomplish by yourself?" N questioned her. She was, after all, only one woman, while there were over a dozen of them.

A smirk slid across her face, as if answering his question.

"By herself, nothing. But that's why we're here hun." Startled by these words, N quickly turned around to find a strange man on the other side of the clearing. He had long wavy purple hair and was wearing what looked to be an outfit modeled after a Cacturn.

"We?" Hunter J inquired. As she asked this, people started appearing from within the tree line of the forest. They were all Defiance members, and one after another they appeared to stand next to the purple haired man.

N scowled at the new arrivals. His group was far too outnumbered now. "Time to go." He informed his grunts.

They all looked to him in surprise. "But what about the mission?" The J asked.

N gazed down at his younger brother. Despite everything, the kid still had the gall to glare back up at him.

"We leave for now. We can always come back another time." He said in an emotionless voice as he sheathed his sword and started walking away. The grunts soon followed after. Hunter J stopped once to glare back at him, before following after them. No one moved until they were completely out of sight.

As soon as they were gone, the pink haired woman rushed over to Drew.

"Drew, are you alright?" She asked him as she got down on her knees to look him over.

He stared up at her in amazement, as if he couldn't believe she was actually there. It had been so long since he'd seen her face, the face that brought him comfort as a child. The woman that sang him lullaby's when he couldn't sleep. The closest thing to a mother he'd ever had.

"Sol..i..dad…" He managed to whisper before he finally gave in to unconsciousness.

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><p><strong>Hey guys I'm back! Sorry for disappearing all month, but you would not believe how crazy my life has been these past few weeks. Not to mention it took me longer to write this one up because I was messing around with my plot line. To apologize I made this chapter extra long instead of splitting it up like I originally planned! Thanks for everyone that reviewed, favorited, and followed last chapter! You guys are the best readers a girl could ask for!<strong>

**PolarDawn: Thank you so much! Sorry for the short chapter last time, I hope this one was better in that regard. Glad you're finding it interesting! :D**

**QueenSpeller67: Yeah, Leaf is a little book worm, I think that makes her super cute that she enjoys being smart. And yes Drew is a total screw up, and May is far too forgiving XD Thanks for the review!**

**TVprogramsfan: Woohoo! If you didn't see it coming, then that means I'm doing it right! Thanks so much! ;)**

**Twin4444: Yes, yes he did. Now everyone knows of his undying love ;D**

**Guest 1: Thank goodness I'm not the only one. I really loved him in those games too, but I also loved him in the originals as well. I've just always loved Brendan!**

**Forevershine: Hehe you're oh so welcome! :D I don't think she's quite ready to throw it off just yet, but trust me, Drew will charm her! Okay gotcha, in that case, there will be plenty of lightening of the mood and tension building between the two! Thanks for clarifying!**

**Guess Who: Don't worry, the ending is still so far away at this point! Ah yes, I too wish I could have my own personal library, that would be so amazing! Thank you so much!**

**Guest 2: No problem, if I ever write something in a weird way and you don't understand, please feel free to ask about it! I love answering questions!**

**Explorer of Time: Hey it's never to late to jump on the bandwagon! I'm glad you're liking it! Thanks for the review!**

**Shouting Guest: Haha the day I pull one over on you will be a very miraculous day, won't it? Your dislike for Brendan makes me laugh, trust me, I don't take it personally, the poor guy gets lots of hate. This is why I don't read the fanfics that portray him to be super awful. Yeah, Drew just doesn't want to believe and then end up being wrong, I'm sure he'll feel really dumb when he finds out they're real. Thanks for reviewing! :)**

**Lolaxp: Well hey, May slapped him for you! Twice! Haha Leaf was pretty sure he'd stop her, but I think she still might have done it anyways, who knows ;) You will find out Solidad's Pokemon next chapter! It's one of hers from the anime. May hasn't really had time to think much about Drew liking her (other than her angry outburst), especially now that all that drama went down, but it will come. :P Thanks for leaving your thoughts!**

**Crying Anon: Wow! Thank you so much! :D**

**Scriptress: Yes, I agree, I love Leaf and Gary as a couple, they're super adorable! You thought that was painful? Those two are full of angst, just wait. Drew is a pretty smooth guy when he wants to be :P Thanks for the review!**

**Banana Bomb: I actually have thought about the different spin off stories I could do with all of the characters and everything going on in this world. I have yet to decide if I'm actually going to, but the ideas are certainly there. Thank you so much for the praise! I'm totally blushing, and it really means a lot! :)**

**GlassyGlaceon: Hey thanks a lot! I'll have to check yours out! :)**


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